Lashkar commander among 3 militants killed in J&K encounters

A top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander was among the three militants killed in two encounters with the security forces in Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.

A militant was killed in an encounter in Shopian, while two ultras -- including LeT commander Naseer-u-din Lone, who was involved in the killing of six CRPF personnel earlier this year -- were killed in a gunfight in Kupwara, police said.

Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation at Chitragam village of south Kashmir's Shopian district following inputs about the presence of militants. It turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon a search party of the forces, who retaliated, a police official said.

A militant was killed in the gunfight. His identity and group affiliation is yet to be ascertained, the official said.

An Army spokesperson said the operation was over and a pistol with six rounds, a UBGL (under barrel grenade launcher) and four Chinese grenades, which were destroyed in-situ, were recovered from the operation site.

The other encounter broke out at Ganipora Kralgund area of Handwara in north Kashmir's Kupwara district. Two militants were killed in the operation, the police official said.

One of the slain militants is Naseer-u-din Lone, who was involved in the killing of three CRPF personnel at Sopore on April 18 and as many CRPF jawans at Handwara on May 4, Kashmir Inspector General of Police Vijay Kumar said.