Srinagar,22-Apr; A total of four militants, including a top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander, were killed in an overnight gunfight that began on Thursday in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the authorities said.The encounter started at dawn on Thursday in Malwah village of Baramulla district and entered the second day on Friday. On Thursday, three militants were killed while another militant was killed on Friday morning, the police said.“BaramullaEncounterUpdate: Another terrorist killed. (Total 04). Operation in progress. Further details shall follow,” the Kashmir zone police tweeted Friday morning. On Thursday, the police said LeT commander Mohammad Yousuf Dar alias Yousuf Kantroo was among the militants killed in the gunfight. “Top LeT commander Yousuf Kantroo killed in Baramulla encounter. He was involved in several killings of civilians and security force personnel including recent killing of JKP’s SPO (Special Police Officer) and his brother, a soldier and one civilian in Budgam district,” the police had quoted IGP (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar in a tweet. The officers said Dar was behind the killing of the District Development Council (DDC) chairperson Bhupinder Singh who was killed in the Khag area of Budgam two years ago. The police have termed Dar’s killing as a “big success” for the security establishment. On Thursday a joint team of Police, Army and CRPF launched a cordon and search operation in Malwah area. As the joint team of forces approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding militants fired upon the forces, triggering off an encounter. In the initial exchange of fire, 03 soldiers & a civilian received minor injuries.(CNS)
