Srinagar, May 24: A top commander of the Pakistan based militant group Lashkar-e-Toiba was killed in a gunfight with Indian army in forest area of Indian administered Kashmir.
An army spokesman said acting on a specific information, a joint team of army and police raided Soni-top forest area in Baflaiz-Dera-ki-Gali belt in the mountainous Poonch region last night. “While the combing operation was going on, the militants hiding in the area fired towards the search party. The fire was returned by the soldiers, triggering an encounter. In the ensuing gunfight, a Lashkar commander was killed and two of his associates sustained bullet injuries. However, the injured militants managed to escape from the area during the course of gunfight,” he said.
He identified the deceased militant as LeT district commander Nazir Ali alias Abu Omar of Pakistan. “His injured colleague have been identified as Zuber and Chota Foji alias Iko 4. A manhunt has been launched to track them down,” he said.
He said an AK-56 rifle with four magazines and 60 rounds, three Chinese grenades, one wireless set, one diary and one pouch were recovered from the possession of the deceased militant.
He further said a militant hideout was busted in Ramban and a cache of arms, ammunition and explosive material seized
“Acting on an information, troops of 23 Rashtriya Rifles and police launched a cordon and search operation in Khari belt of Banihal tehsil in Ramban district and busted a militant hideout last night,” he said.
He said 6.8 kgs of RDX, one UBGL Grenade launcher, 15 UBGL grenades, 100 rounds of AK ammunition, four detonators and 10 meter of cordex wire were recovered.
