Two Lashkar militants shot dead along LoC; police suspect Pakistan's hand

Two militants suspected to a part of terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba were shot dead on Saturday (July 11) as the Army foiled an infiltration attempt along the Line of Control (LoC) in Naugam sector of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), a defence spokesperson said.

Defence spokesperson Rajesh Kalia said the suspicious movement was detected early in the morning by the troops along the LoC in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district. “The troops swiftly launched an ambush which led to the killing of the two militants,” he said, adding that two AK-47 rifles and bullets were seized from the spot.

J&K police suspect that the infiltration attempt was a part of the efforts of Pakistan to stir violence in the valley as the first anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370 is nearing, Hindustan Times reported. “We believe the two (militants) are part of terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba,” the newspaper quoted a senior police officer as saying.

Apart from the AK-47 rifles, the police have also seized a China-made pistol and four grenades that had been manufactured by ordnance factory in Pakistan. A senior police officer told Hindustan Times that the grenades were concrete evidence that the terrorists had links with the Pakistan government and the army.

Dlibang Singh, the Director-General of J&K police on June 19 said that over 100 terrorists had been neutralised during the last five-and-a-half months. “Of them, 50 plus were from the Hizbul Mujahideen, around 20 from the Lashkar-e-Taiba, 20 from the Jaish-e-Mohammed and the rest from smaller outfits like Al-Badr, Ansar Gazwatul Hind.”

On July 7, three security force personnel were injured in an encounter with militants in Pulwama district. An initial search operation for the presence of militants in the area turned into an encounter after militants opened fire towards security forces positions.

On July 4, two Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists were killed and an Army man suffered injuries during an encounter between the ultras and security forces in Kulgam district.

(With inputs from agencies)