Bandipora (Jammu-Kashmir): Two militants including a top Lashkar-e-Tobia commander were killed in an encounter between the security forces and militants in the Watnira area of Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir, tweeted Kashmir police.
The two slain militants have been identified as Abid Hakani and Azad Ahmad Shah.
"One of the slain militants identified as Lashkar-e-Tobia commander Abid Hakani was involved in the killing of BJP leader Sheikh Waseem Bari, his father and brother," IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said.
"Another militant Azad Ahmad Shah, a resident of Bagh Bandipora, has also been killed. He was missing since July 2020."
Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the encounter site. The militants were repeatedly asked to surrender, however, they refused."
The encounter started in the early hours of Sunday after a cordon and search operation was launched in the Watnira area after specific inputs about the presence of militants there. As the joint team of police and army approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired at the troopers triggering an encounter, police said.
Earlier in July, two unidentified militants were killed and a soldier injured in an encounter between militants and security forces in Shokbaba forest in the Sumblar area of Bandipora.
