Army colonel, LeT commander killed, 3 solider injured in Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 23 (UNI) A senior Army officer and a top commander of Pakistan based Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed and three soldiers wounded in a fierce encounter in north Kashmir district of Baramulla today, a Defence Ministry spokesman said.

Another encounter ensued between a joint search party of 22 Rashitriya Rifles (RR) and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and militants at Dangerpora, Sopore, about 55 km from here this afternoon.

Further details are awaited, official sources said.

The spokesman said troops of 29 Rashitriya Rifles (RR) received a specific information this morning that a group of militants were hiding in some houses at a village Behrampora near Pattan, about 27 km from here.

The Troops, led by the Commanding Officer Colonel G S Sarna, immediately rushed to the area and sealed all exit points. However, when the troops were about to storm a particular house, militants, hiding inside, opened indiscriminate firing. Troops also retaliated and in the encounter, the Commanding Officer received bullet wounds in the abdomen.

He was immediately admitted to a hospital in a critical condition, where he died, the spokesman added.

Sources said reinforcements were rushed to the area from nearby camps and militants were being asked to surrender.

Sources said about five militants of LeT, including three top commanders, were in the area when the search operation was launched.

A self styled ''District Commander'' of LeT was killed and three soldiers were wounded in the encounter, a report from Baramulla said, adding the house in which the militants were hiding, was also damaged.

Locals alleged that security forces fired rockets and used explosives to blow up the house.

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