Top AL-Badr militant shot dead in Poonch

Jammu, Jan 2: In a pre-dawn operation, security forces gunned down a top Al-Badr militant in the border district of Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, an army spokesman said today.

Acting on a tip-off, troops of 38 Rashtriya Rifles laid an ambush and eliminated Bilal at Tarnai forest area of Poonch early this morning, army spokesman Col D K Badola told UNI.

One Ak-47 rifle, two magazines and 50 rounds were also recovered from the possession of the slain militant, he said.

Bilal was a close associate of Al-Badr 'divisional commander' Ishtiyaq Hussain, who was killed in the neighbouring Sanjote area of the district on December 15 last year, he said.

He had escaped unhurt then, the spokesman added.

UNI