Baramullla, July 12: A top Lashkar-e-Taiba militant was among three militants killed in an encounter which ensued after security forces launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in the apple township of Sopore in this north Kashmir district on Sunday.
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar said, “A Pakistani LeT militant, identified as Usman — who was involved in killing of a CRPF personnel and a civilian in Sopore — was gunned down in the encounter.”
He said, “It is a big success for security forces.”
Meanwhile, mobile internet service has been suspended in Sopore as a precautionary measure to prevent rumours.
Defence Ministry spokesperson Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that following specific information about presence of militants, a joint CASO was launched by Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir, CRPF and Rashtriya Rifles (RR) at Rebban, about 2 km from main Sopore town, in the wee hours of Sunday.
However, he said when the security forces were moving towards a particular area, militants there, opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons. “The security forces retaliated triggering an encounter,” he said, adding a militant was killed in the exchange of fire in the morning.
He said two more militant was killed later in the afternoon. “One of the slain militant has been identified as Usman,” IGP Kumar said.
A CRPF head constable Deep Chand and a civilian, identified as Bashir Ahmad Khan, were killed while three other personnel were injured in a militant attack on security force patrolling party in the apple township of Sopore in north Kashmir district of Baramulla on July 1.
The IGP Kumar said, “LeT militant Usman bhai was involved in the attack on security forces.”
