Top LeT ultra shot

Srinagar, April 9

A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander was killed on Saturday in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir. Acting on specific information about the presence of a militant at Sirhama village in Anantnag district, a joint team of security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation.

Two aides arrested

• Wajid Yousuf Akhoon and Mohammad Ashraf Sheikh, said to be aides of LeT militants, have been arrested in Budgam.
• Incriminating material, arms and ammunition have been seized from their possession, say police.

As the search party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding militant fired indiscriminately, triggering a gunfight, the police said. In the ensuing gunfight, one local militant of the LeT outfit was killed.

He has been identified as Nisar Ahmad Dar, alias Musaib, of Redwani Bala village in Kulgam district. As per police records, he had been active since last April. The police said he was involved in several killings of civilians and migrant labourers.

Vijay Kumar, Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, termed the killing of Dar as a big success as he was wanted for “his involvement in gruesome terror activities”.

Meanwhile, two militant associates of LeT have been arrested in Budgam district. Identified as Wajid Yousuf Akhoon and Mohammad Ashraf Sheikh, they were arrested from the orchard area of Rathsun in Beerwah. Incriminating material of the LeT, arms and ammunition, including a Chinese pistol, two pistol magazines and 12 pistol rounds have been seized from their possession, the police said.