Hizb commander among two killed, arms seized in J

Srinagar, May 7 (UNI) A top commander of pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen was among the two people killed while militants escaped with arms snatched from a village Defence Committee (VDC) member in Jammu and Kashmir overnight, an official spokesman said today.

Security forces gunned down a top Hizb militant in an encounter at Bhaderwah in Doda district of Jammu region.

A joint team of 4 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and the Special Task Force (STF) shot dead the locally trained Hizb militant after an hour-long operation.

The militant, identified as Irshad Ahmed Khan of nearby Sumbli village, had taken shelter in a house at Qilla Mohalla near Bhaderwah town, the spokesman said, adding two hand grenades and a UBGL were seized from his possession.

Police nabbed a Lashkar militant, Ishfaq Ahmed Ganai, from Sogam village in frontier district of Kupwara.

Police also recovered the body of Ghulam Mohammad Malla of Chak Hakbara from river Jhelum this morning.

Militants barged into the house of a VDC member, Som Raj, at Gadyog in Rajouri district and snatched away a .303 rifle and 100 rounds from him on gunpoint, the spokesman said.

A BSF spokesman said personnel of 51 and 63 battalion of the force conducted a search operation in Bandipora general area in north Kashmir's Baramulla district last night.

During the operation, six AK assault rifles, one UBGL, 15 AK magazines, two fuses and 4000 AK rounds were seized from a militant hideout, he added. However, no one was apprehended in this regard.

The spokesman claimed that the recovery of huge cache of arms and ammunition has dealt a big blow to militants who were planning to carry out major strike against the security forces.

UNI