Johnson Cherian.
A top Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander is among three other militants believed trapped in south Kashmir as gunfight rages in a residential area on Friday morning.
Initial reports suggested that the army and the police’s special operations group cordoned off Eidgah Mohalla in Arwani area early in the morning, following a tip-off.
During the search operations, the security forces came under fire from the trapped militants. “We suspect three militants are hiding in the area. We cannot immediately confirm any other details,” said a police official.
Sources said the police suspected that LeT commander Junaid Mattoo may be among the trapped LeT militants. There were unconfirmed reports of one militant being killed so far.
The authorities snapped internet services in parts of south Kashmir to contain protests.
Meanwhile, a civilian, identified as Nazir Ahmad, a resident of Bandipora, who was injured in the firing of Shashatra Seema Bal in Srinagar’s Rangreth, succumbed to his injuries in the morning.
Two policemen were killed in twin attacks in Kashmir on Thursday.
