LeT deputy chief among three militants killed in Kashmir

Three militants affiliated with the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, including a teenager from Srinagar, who had gone missing on April 16, were killed in an encounter with security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Sunday.

The two other slain militants were identified by the police as Arif Hazar alias Rehan, who was deputy to the outfit’s top commander Basit and a Pakistani militant Haqqani.

Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said the teenager Natish Shakeel Wani of Baba Demb, Khanyar in old city Srinagar was among the killed militants.

The teenager had left for afternoon (Zuhr) prayers on April 16 and had been missing since. While family had issued an appeal to him to return, police said he had joined militant ranks.

“Arif Hazar alias Rehan, deputy of LeT’s top cmdr (Basit) killed in PulwamaEncounter. (He was) involved in killings of Insp Parvez in front of mosque, SI Arshid & 1 mobile shop owner in downtown. Several FIRs against him in Sgr city,” IGP Kashmir said in a tweet.

Reports said the encounter erupted after a joint team of J&K police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon-and-search-operation (CASO) in Pahoo, Pulwama following a tip-off about the presence of militants in the area.

As the security forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the search team, which retaliated, triggering off a gunfight, police said.

This was the fourth encounter in the last three days. On Saturday, two militants of Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed in an encounter with security forces in Mirhama area of neighbouring Kulgam district.

On Friday, two fidayeen (suicide) militants of the Jaish and a CISF officer were killed near Sunjwan army installation on the outskirts of Jammu city on Friday. Earlier on Thursday, three more militants of the Lashker, including its longest surviving commander, Yousuf Kantroo were killed in another gun fight in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

This year 61 militants, including 20 foreigners, have been killed across Jammu and Kashmir in encounters with security forces. Last year in 87 encounters, 168 militants were killed by the security forces in Kashmir. Among them, 19 were foreigners, while 149 were locals.

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