Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants, including commander Bashir Lashkari who was allegedly behind the killing of six policemen last month, were killed in an encounter with government forces in Kashmir’s Anantnag district today, police said.
Two civilians, 44-year-old Tahira Begum and 21-year-old Shadab Ahmad Chopan, were killed and dozens others injured after forces fired to disperse protesters marching towards the gunfight in Brenti-Batpora village in Dialgam area of the district.
“The encounter is over. Two militants have been killed,” Director General of Police S P Vaid told PTI.
Vaid said the slain militants had been identified as Bashir Lashkari and Azad Dada, both affiliated with the LeT.
According to police, Lashkari and his group were involved in the killing of SHO Feroz Ahmad Dar and five other policemen in Achabal area of south Kashmir on June 16.
Forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Brenti-Batpora in Anantnag early today after they received information about the presence of militants, including Lashkari, a police official said.
He said the search operation turned into a gunfight after the militants opened fire on forces.
Meanwhile, Joint Resistance Leadership (JRL) has called a shutdown on July 2, Sunday to pay tributes to two civilians and as many civilians killed in forces’ operation in Dialgam area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Two civilians were killed and over two dozen others injured after forces opened fire on protesters near the site of a gunfight.
Two militants, including Lashkar commander Bashir Kashkari were killed in the firefight that raged in Breithi-Batpora village.
“We appeal to Kashmiri people to observe complete shutdown tomorrow to pay tributes to those killed in Dialgam,” said a statement, issued by the JRL.
