“Acting on specific information about an LeT commander hiding in a house in Gurura village, security forces were moved out on Sunday morning to cordon off the area,” a senior police officer told reporters from Bandipora.

When the hiding militant was challenged to surrender, he opened fire at the troops, triggering a gun battle that ended on Sunday evening, police said. “When searches resumed in the area, the body of Abu Zarar, an LeT commander belonging to Pakistan, was recovered this (Monday) morning,” the officer said.

The operation was launched by the police, army and the Central Reserve Police Force. There was no damage to civilian property and none of the security personnel were injured, the police said. An AK-47 rifle, four magazines, some grenades and a wireless set were recovered from the slain guerrilla commander.