3 Lashkar militants neutralized in Anantnag encounter

Anantnag: Three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed by security forces in an encounter which ensued during a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in this south Kashmir district on Wednesday, official sources said.

This is the first CASO launched by the security forces in Kashmir valley after post-paid mobile phones were restored on Monday noon after remaining suspended for 70 days. The services were suspended on August 5, when the Centre scrapped Article 370 and 35 A, besides splitting the state into two Union Territories.

Sources said that following specific information about the presence of militants at Pazalpora, Bijbehara, about 3 km from Anantnag, troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF launched a joint search operation in the wee hours at 0330 hrs on Wednesday.

However, when the exit points were being sealed, militants hiding there, opened fire with automatic weapons, the sources said, adding that security forces also retaliated ensuing an encounter. ''While three militants were killed in the encounter, the house from where they were firing has been blasted,'' they said.

All the three bodies have been recovered. Huge cache of arms and ammunition has also been recovered from the encounter site, the sources said, adding that the operation has been called off.

''The militants belong of LeT and were planning an attack on security forces.''Security forces have also been deployed in strength along Srinagar-Jammu national highway to maintain law and order,'' they said.(UNI)