LeT militant found dead, another held in Kulgam

, Jun 20: A Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was found dead and a top Pakistani self-styled commander of the outfit arrested in

district of south

today, police said.

The bullet-riddled body of LeT militant Zakir Syed Bhat, a resident of Sangus village, was recovered by police from an open field at village Chinigam in Yaripora area of Kulgam, 70 km from here, a police spokesman said.

He said Bhat had joined the militant outfit some time back and was active in the area. Police has registered a case and started investigations to ascertain the cause of his death, the spokesman said.

In a major breakthrough, security forces arrested a self-styled district commander of the outfit from a hideout at Shampora village of Yaripora in Kulgam district, he said.

Naveed Jat alias Abu Hanzullah, a resident of Sahiwala area of Multan in Pakistan, was operating in south Kashmir for the last two years and was involved in the killing of two policemen near the district court complex at Pulwama and the recent firing on a police party at Shopian in which five police personnel were injured, the spokesman said.

Jat, a close associate of LeT chief in Kashmir Abu Qasim,was arrested by a joint party of police and troops of 62 Rashtriya Rifles and 18th battalion CRPF on a specific information, he said.

An AK-47 Rifle, two magazines and 60 rounds were recovered from Jat, who was also working under code names of Munnu and Chotu.

PTI