J&K: 5 LeT militants killed in encounter

Five militants of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Tayiba outfit were killed in two separate encounters in Jammu and Kashmir today, where ultras shot dead a civilian in Kulgam while a highly decomposed body was fished out from Jhelum River in Srinagar, police said.

Four hardcore LeT militants were killed in a fierce gun-battle lasting several hours at Maganwari forest in Kandi belt of Kupwara district on Sunday afternoon, Vijay Kumar, senior superintendent of police-Kupwara told PTI.

Kumar, who was leading the operation along with senior officers of 47 Rashtriya Rifles, said a joint search was launched in the area following specific information about presence of militants on Sunday morning. The militants were asked to surrender but they opened fire and in the ensuing gun-battle got killed.

A huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from the possession of the slain ultras, whose identity was being ascertained. However, the documents recovered from them revealed their affiliation with LeT, Kumar added.

In another encounter, a police spokesman said security forces shot dead a top LeT militant identified as Abu Hamza alias Shamsher during search operations in Tulwani area of Bhudal tehsil of Rajouri district on Sunday.

An AK assault rifle, four magazines, 23 rounds and three grenades were recovered from the killed militant whose another associate, however, escaped the security dragnet, he said.