Top HM commander among 2 ultras killed, arms recovered in J

Srinagar, Oct 3 (UNI) A top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) was among two militants killed and a CRPF officer was injured while a numberdar and his family escaped unhurt in an attack in Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

Security forces unearthed a hideout and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition in the valley.

An official spokesman said 89 batallion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police launched a joint operation at village Boru Chadoora in Badgam district late last night following a tip off that militants were hiding there.

However, when the security forces were about to storm a particular house, they came under heavy fire from militants. The fire was returned and in the night-long operation two militants were killed. Two AK rifles' two pistols, five magazines, one grenade thrower and one wireless set were recovered from the slain militants.

He said the slain militants were identified as Mohammad Ashraf Ganie alias Bilal, district commander of HM and Naseer Ahmad Wani alias Zubair.

He said Ashraf, a listed militant involved in a number of militancy related incidents, was active in Badgam district for the past few years.

Spokesman said a CRPF inspector R D Sharma and a police constable Balwant Singh were injured in the shootout.

MORE UNI BAS YAS RN1803