Lashkar E Toiba district commander neutralized by CRPF

Srinagar: All the three militants, including self-styled District Commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), who were holed up since early morning yesterday in a house in south Kashmir, have been killed, a police spokesman said here this morning. Bodies of all three LeT militants, including District Commander Junaid Matoo have been recovered along with arms and ammunition, he said. Giving details about the encounter, he said acting on a specific information about the presence of militants, State police along with Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 90 Batallion CRPF launched a joint search operation in Makro Mohalla Arwani at Bijbehara in south Kashmir yesterday.

When the security forces were moving towards a particular area, the militants opened fire, which was retaliated, ensuing an encounter. However, when encounter was going on, an unruly mob instigated by militants started pelting stones with an intention to disturb the operation and given a chance to holed up militants to escape, he said. He said some of the militants also fired from within the crowd indiscriminately on the security forces engaged in the encounter. In the cross-firing some people were injured. The injured were shifted to hospital. Two civilians succumbed to their injuries.

He said the militants killed in encounter have been identified as Junaid Matto, Nasir Wani and Adil Mushtaq Mir. Junaid was district commander and was involved in a number of militant activities. He was involved in the killing of police Constable at Bogund on June 15th in Kulgam. He was involved in Mirbazar police party attack where police official Mehmood attained martyrdom. The spokesman said Junaid was also involved in the killing of a Sub Inspector (SI) and constable near bus stand Anantnag last year. Many cases of militant activities are lodged against him. Nasir Wani and Adil had joined the militant group last year.(UNI)