Two Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, soldier killed in Shopian encounter

Two Lashkar-e-Taiba militants and a soldier died in an encounter in Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.

Two other security personnel also received injuries in the encounter, they said.

According to officials, one of the ultras killed was involved in the murder of a carpenter from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur recently.

Security forces had launched a cordon and search operation in Dragad area of Shopian district following information about presence of militants there, they said.

The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire at the security forces who retaliated.

The officials said two ultras of The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiba, have been killed.

Three security force personnel also sustained injuries in the operation. One of them later succumbed to injuries at a hospital here, they said.

One of the slain ultras has been identified as Adil Wani, who joined the militant ranks in July 2020.

"One of the killed #terrorists has been #identified as Adil Ah Wani, active since 7/2020... So far, 15 terrorists have been #neutralised in 2 weeks," IGP Kashmir zone Vijay Kumar said in a tweet.

He said Wani was involved in the killing of Saghir Ahmad, a carpenter from Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur, three days earlier.

"Killed #terrorist Adil Wani was #involved in #killing of a poor carpenter namely Saghir Ansari S/O Bindo Hussain Ansari R/O Saharanpur UP. Adil Wani was District Commander Shopian of proscribed #terror outfit LeT(TRF)," Kumar tweeted.