Pulwama (Jammu and Kashmir): Three militants, including a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander, were killed in an encounter between security personnel and militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama district on Wednesday, the police said. "Three terrorists have been neutralised, including Pakistani LeT Commander Aijaz alias Abu Huraira and two local terrorists. Huraira was active in Srinagar and Pulwama. One local terrorist has been identified as Shahnawaz," Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar said. He said that Huraira was active in Srinagar and Pulwama. One local terrorist has been identified as Shahnawaz, Kumar added. The operation lasted for about eight hours. The police also recovered arms and ammunition from the encounter site.
According to a police official, the security forces first cordoned off the area based on inputs that militants were trapped there. Soon, the militants sprayed bullets and the forces retaliated, triggering a gunfight.
Meanwhile, curfew has been imposed in the area and internet services have been snapped following the gunfight. "Restrictions and curfew have been imposed in the entire Pulwama town as a precautionary measure to avert any untoward incident," a senior police official said. "In this regard, announcements were made urging people to stay inside as curfew has been imposed," he said.
Earlier, on July 10, three militants LeT were killed in an encounter with security forces in the Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir. Similarly, on July 9, the Army foiled a major infiltration bid along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri as they eliminated two Pakistani terrorists, while lost two soldiers, including a Junior Commissioned Officer, in the fierce gun battle. Based on information regarding infiltration and movement of terrorists in the area of Dadal in Sundarbani sector of Rajouri district, Army troops had launched extensive search operations.
As many as 91 militants have been killed by security forces in 2021. Of these, 16 have been neutralised in the first two weeks of July alone. Nineteen men from the security forces have been martyred in various militancy-related incidents so far this year.
