Bandipora encounter: Slain militant was Lashkar commander

Srinagar: One of the two militants killed in an encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district on Monday was a Pakistani-born self-styled commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), police said.

“One of the killed terrorists has been identified as Pakistani code-named Talha,” a police spokesperson said, adding that the identity of the other militant was being ascertained.

As per the police records, Talha was operating as a commander of the LeT in the areas of Bandipora and wanted by law for his involvement in terror crimes and civilian atrocities, the officer said.

“He was part of groups involved in planning and executing terror attacks in the area,” the spokesperson said. “Several terror crime cases were registered against him for his involvement in terror crimes.”

According to the spokesperson, incriminating material, including goods bearing Pakistani marks as well as arms and ammunition, have been recovered from the slain militant’s possession.

“All the incriminating materials have been taken into records for the purpose of investigation and to probe his complicity in other terror crimes,” the officer said.

The encounter broke out when the security forces launched a search operation in Bandipora district of north Kashmir. While one militant was killed on Sunday during the gunfight in Lawdara village, about 55 km from Srinagar, another was killed the day after.