LeT commander among two militants killed in Shopian

SHOPIAN — Two militants including a policeman-turned top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander have been killed in an encounter between security forces and militants at Check Sadiq Khan area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district on Monday evening.

An official said that two militants have been killed, while as the search operation is going on in the area.

He said the militants turned down repeated surrender offers given to them by government forces, adding that a policeman-turned top commander of LeT, identified as Ishfaq Dar alias Abu Akram, active since 2017 is among the slain. However, another identification is being ascertained.

Ishfaq has worked as a Constable in Jammu and Kashmir Police from 2010 but he escaped in 2017 and joined militant ranks, a top official said.

Earlier, an official said that a joint team of Police, Army’s 34 RR and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.

He said that as the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon them, which was retaliated, triggering an encounter.

Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, the mobile internet services have been suspended in the district.