LeT militant involved in murder of army officer gunned down

A Lashkar-e-Taiba militant, involved in the killing of an army officer, was gunned down in an early morning encounter in south Kashmir’s Kulgam on Saturday, police said.

“One militant killed in a gun battle at #Kulgam,” tweeted the handle of the deputy inspector general of police, south Kashmir range.

One AK 47 has been recovered, an army spokesperson said.

Ishfaq Paddar, a local operative of the terror outfit, Lashkare-Taiba, was wanted for civilian killings, the police said.

Shridhar Patil, senior superintendent of police, Kulgam, said they had found some leads showing the involvement of Ishfaq in the killing of Umar Fayaz, an army officer hailing from Kulgam. “We are investigating it.”

Fayaz had gone to attend the wedding of relative in Shopian district when he was abducted and killed by militants. The killing had triggered widespread condemnation.

The killing of Paddar comes hours after one policeman was killed and three others were injured when militants attacked one of their vehicles in Srinagar outskirts late on Friday evening. The LeT had claimed responsibility for the attack. Clashes broke out on Saturday between groups of youths and security forces at a few places in the Kashmir Valley after Eid prayers, police said.

Clashes were reported from Srinagar, Anantnag and Sopore after the culmination of congregational Eid prayers, a police official said.

He said immediately after the prayers were over at the Eidgah in Srinagar, a group of youths started pelting stones at security forces who were deployed there to maintain law and order.

Security personnel used tear smoke shells to disperse the protestors, the official said, adding that there were no reports of any one getting injured.

Similar clashes took place near Janglat Mandi in Anantnag and near Jamia Masjid in Sopore towns in south and north Kashmir after the prayers, he said.

Youths were pelting stones at the forces when last reports came in, he said. The official said security forces exercised maximum restraint and so far there are no reports of any casualties.