Top LeT commander, Jr Army officer among 3 killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, Oct 4 (UNI) Two militants, including a top Lashker-e-Toiba commander, and an Army JCO were killed while another militant, evading arrest since 2004, was apprehended in the Kashmir valley today.

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir range, S M Sahai, said acting on a tip-off by police, a joint operation was launched by ten Para, 23 Punjab and Special Operation Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police at village Gamroo in Bandipora district.

During the operation, an encounter took place between the militants hiding in a house and security forces.

Mr Sahai said the JCO and two LeT militants, including the Divisional Commander of the LeT who was identified as Musa alias Wafa, were killed in the encounter.

Two Ak rifles, six magazines, two pouches, 106 rounds of ammunition and two hand grenades were recovered from the slain militants, he added.

Describing it as a big success, the IG said the killing of Musa was a major jolt to the LeT in north Kashmir.

This is the second major encounter in north Kashmir after the 36-hour gun-battle, which ended yesterday, in Tangmarg. Two Army Majors and nine militants, including a top commander, were killed in the encounter.

In another incident, a militant, Shamim Ahmad Sofi, wanted in a number of militancy-related incidents since 2004, was arrested by police at Tral, about 35 km from here, in Pulwama district of north Kashmir, a police spokesman said.

UNI