A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant was killed in an encounter that broke out on Thursday in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, said on Friday. He added that another militant managed to escape.
IGP Kashmir said the slain militant had taken shelter in a nearby building after attacking the BSF convoy at Meerpora, Kulgam on Thursday, KNO reported.
“Intermittent firing continued throughout the night till wee hours,” the news agency quoted the IGP as saying.
He said both the slain and one foreign militant identified as Usman were affiliated with the LeT.
“Usman was a dreaded militant and he was planning a big strike on security forces ahead of Independence Day,” Kumar said. “One AK-47 rifle, four magazines, a few grenades and a RPG launcher along with the cell, was recovered from him.”
“We had already received an input about the possible militant attack on highways including Qazigund to Pantha Chowk. It was due to the alertness that militants after attacking the BSF convoy were zeroed in, forcing them to take shelter in a nearby building,” the IGP said, adding that the highway is being cleared and the traffic will resume shortly.
He said militant attacks are being planned in Kashmir ahead of 15 August to “instill fear” among people to prevent them from participating in the I-Day functions. “We have put in place stringent security measures to ensure 15 August functions pass off peacefully. People are requested to participate in large numbers without any fear,” he said.
In the encounter, two youths sustained bullet injuries during clashes while a CRPF man also received bullet injury in his foot.
Meanwhile, the IGP while replying to a query said one person has been detained in connection with the recent grenade explosion at Hari Singh High Street (HSHS), Srinagar, in which ten civilians sustained injuries.
“The attacker will be caught soon,” the IGP said.
