Srinagar, Sep 11: Wedding celebrations turned into mourning for a family in Sopore after the bride’s brother, a militant, was killed in an encounter with government forces in the Handwara on Tuesday.
Liyaqat Ahmad Lone was one of the two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants killed in the encounter in Kupwara’s Handwara area this morning, police said.
The news of Lone’s death came as his sister’s wedding celebrations were underway at his house in Sopore town, family members said.
His sister was supposed to get married today. A large number of relatives and friends had gathered for the occasion, but as the news reached, a pall of gloom descended on the household, they said.
Lone went missing from his house and joined militant ranks earlier this year, the family members claimed.
Liyaqat’s body was handed over to the family late Tuesday afternoon, a police official said.
Locals of the area said that Liyaqat was father of three children and left home this year. “We have not seen him since July this year and we also did not know he had joined militant ranks,” a local GNS news agency reported.
