3 Lashkar-e-Taiba militants killed in Kashmir's Pulwama district

Three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, including an ultra involved in a series of killings, were gunned down in the wee hours today in an encounter that lasted for over six hours in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.

Majid Dar, one of the slain militants, was involved in a number of killings including that of sarpanch of Kakapora and district president of Pulwama, a police official said here.

The encounter started last evening in Kakapora area of Pulwama following an intelligence input that three local boys, who had joined militant ranks in banned Lashkar-e-Taiba terror group, were holed up in a house located in a densely populated locality, the official said.

This is the first successful counter-insurgency operation in Pulwama area which is believed to have large presence of local militants aided with a strong-network of over ground workers, he said.

The successful operation is a big blow to the LeT terror outfit which recently lost its commander Junaid Mattoo in an encounter at Arwin village in Anantnag district of South Kashmir on June 17, he added.

This is the second successful operation against the terror outfit within three days.

Yesterday, two militants were killed in an encounter in Sopore township of Baramulla district in north Kashmir.