Srinagar, Feb 06: A Lashkar-e-Toiba commander was shot dead by the government forces in a brief shootout in Chakoora area of Litter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday.
One militant was killed and his body was recovered from the shootout site along with a weapon, said a police officer.
According to police, the slain was identified as Irfan Ahmad Sheikh, son of Gulzar Ahmad Shiekh of Chakoora village.
Sheikh, it said, was commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba for district Pulwama and was active from past many years.
Earlier, reports said a joint team of the Army, CRPF and SOG of police cordoned off Chakoora area of Litter following inputs about the presence of militants.
It said the gunfight broke out after the forces approached the spot where the militants were hiding.
A police officer said that two to three militants were believed to be trapped in the area.
Witnesses said that intense clashes erupted after the youth marched towards the shootout site.
He said the forces fired tear-gas shells to disperse the stone-throwing protesters.
Meanwhile, mobile Internet service was also suspended in Pulwama district in the wake of shootout.
Locals said that Internet was suspended in the district soon after the reports of killing of the LeT commander.
CRPF man injured in Kulgam grenade blast
Srinagar, Feb 06: A paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) trooper was injured after suspected militants lobbed a grenade at the force camp in Laroo area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Wednesday.
Quoting official sources, news agency GNS reported that some militants hurled a grenade on CRPF camp of 18 Battalion at Laroo area resulting in injuries to one paramilitary trooper.
The injured was taken to nearby hospital for treatment, they said.
A police officer also confirmed the attack and said that one CRPF man suffered splinter injuries.
Following the blast, the government forces launched a hunt to nab the attackers.
