Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 10: A commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit was among four militants killed in two separate gun battles in Pulwama and Kulgam districts of South Kashmir today while one militant was captured.
Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said that two militants were killed in Kulgam this morning while two militants were killed in an encounter in Pulwama in the evening.
He said that acting on specific inputs about the presence of militants at Chinigam village of Frisal Tehsil in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, joint team of security forces including Army’s 1 RR and Kulgam Police launched a search operation late last night.
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“As joint team of security forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon security forces who retaliated triggering an encounter,” he said. During exchange of fire one local and a foreign militant were killed.
He said militants were identified as Tariq Ahmed Mir of Zangalpora, Devsar, Kulgam and a foreigner Sameer Bhai alias Usman, a resident of Punjab Pakistan, who was a A-category militant. “Both the slain militants were affiliated with Jaish-e-Mohammad outfit,” he said.
Defence spokesman in Srinagar Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that an US made M-4 carbine gun and a pistol were recovered from the slain militants.
In another encounter, two militants were killed at Dadoora Kangan area of Pulwama district in a joint team of security forces including 55 RR after receiving specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
As the security forces approached towards suspected spot, militants fired upon them, which was retaliated triggering an encounter in which two militants were killed.
They were identified as Lashkar-e-Toiba top commander Zahid Nazir Bhat alias Zahid Tiger. Tiger was the cousin of slain Hizbul Mujahideen commander Sameer Tiger, who was killed on April 30 in an encounter at Drabgam area of Pulwama district. Zahid joined militancy days after Sameer’s killing. Police said that arms and ammunition including two AK-47 riffles were recovered from them.
The other slain militant was identified as Adnan, who is believed to be a foreigner. A police officials said that one militant was captured from the encounter site at Pulwama, who was identified as Firdous Ahmed Tak, a resident of Doda district.
In the meantime, four AK-47 rifles along with eight magazines and 240 rounds were recovered in Keran sector of Line of Control (LoC) in Kupwara district today.
An official said that last night the Army’s 6RR recovered four fresh AK-4 rifles, eight magazines and 240 rounds besides two new pouches during search operations at the LoC in Keran sector.
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