LeT commander killed in Anantnag encounter in J&K

A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander has been killed in an ongoing encounter between terrorists and security forces at Sirhama area in South Kashmir's Anantnag district, police said on Saturday, however, police have clarified that no militant has yet been killed in a second encounter which is underway in South Kashmir's Kulgam district.

Srinagar (J&K): A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander has been killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces at the Sirhama area in South Kashmir's Anantnag district, said Vijay Kumar, Inspector General of Police on Saturday. However, police have clarified that no militant has yet been killed in a second encounter that is underway in South Kashmir's Kulgam district. "One local terrorist of proscribed terror outfit LeT killed. Search in progress. Further details shall follow. However, in the encounter at Kulgam, no terrorist has been neutralised yet. Operation going on," J&K police said, adding that the LeT commander has been identified as Nisar Dar.

Earlier in the day, police had informed about the encounter that broke out in the Sirhama area of Anantnag district. "Based on the credible input about the presence of militants, a joint team of Police, Army's 3 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in the area," a senior police official said.

The firefight between militants and security forces took place after a joint team of the police and the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation on the basis of specific information about the presence of militants. As the security forces zeroed in on the spot where militants were hiding they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.

"As soon as the team of forces approached the suspected spot, militants fired upon them which was retaliated triggering a gunfight," the official said, adding that the internet has also been snapped in several areas of the district as a precautionary measure. Meanwhile, another encounter is underway at ChakiSamad, DH Pora area of the Kulgam district, police said.

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