Top HM commander, driver killed, two jawans injured in J&K

Srinagar, Sep 8 (UNI) A top Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander and a truck driver were killed while two security personnel were injured in Jammu and Kashmir overnight.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Doda, Manohar Singh said police launched a search operation this morning in the upper reaches of Marmat, following a tip-off that some militants were hiding there.

During the operation that triggered an encounter, Irfan Ahmed-- HM incharge of operations in the region--was killed. An AK-47 rifle and one pistol were recovered from him.

Mr Singh said the operation was still on when the reports last came.

Irfan Ahmed was active since 1993 and was one of the most wanted militants in the region.

An official spokesman said militants attacked a patrol party of 145 batallion CRPF at Wargund, Qazigund, on the Srinagar-Jammu national highway late last night. The CRPF personnel retaliated and in the shootout, a truck driver Paria Singh, resident of Malik market, Jammu, was killed.

A CRPF head constable N C S Raddy was also injured in the incident. However, the militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

In another incident, militants attacked a police patrol party at Takipora, Lolab, in the frontier district of Kupwara. The fire was returned, injuring a Special Police Officer (SPO) Manzoor Ahmad in the attack.

UNI