Soldier dead, three LeT militants killed

A soldier was killed and another injured in an encounter in North Kashmir at Gujarpati Zurhama Kupwara (Forest area) on Monday.

Inspector general of police Kashmir Muneer Khan said that the encounter started following specific information about presence of militants in the area

“One soldier was killed and one was injured in the encounter,” Khan said and added that the encounter was still on.

Earlier in the day, three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists, all of them Pakistani nationals, were killed in Wuchar area in northern Kashmir’s Handwara in a separate encounter, police said.

The incident was confirmed by director general of police SP Vaid through a tweet: “Three LeT terrorists all Pakistanis neutralised in Magam area of Handwara in North Kashmir. Excellent work.”

According to officials, the joint operation of the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police started late on Monday night.

A cordon and search operation was launched in the area after information about the presence of militants. “Contact with militants was established early morning,’’ an official said.

Army’s Srinagar based Chinar Corp, however, confirmed the killing of only two militants.

The operation, according to the army spokesman, was still on.

The identity of the militants had yet to be established.

After a footballer from South Kashmir who had joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group surrendered, the security establishment in Kashmir promised to rehabilitate any militant of Kashmiri origin who wanted to return home.

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