Top Pak LeT militant Babar Ali killed in Bandipora encounter

Srinagar: A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant, a Pakistani national, was killed in an encounter with security forces in north Kashmir district of Bandipora on Tuesday.

A police spokesperson said that following specific information, a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched by troops of Rashtriya Rifles (RR), CRPF and Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir police at Chandaji Bandipora on Tuesday.

He said all the exit point were sealed, adding that when the forces were moving towards a particular area, militants hiding there fired at them with automatic weapons. “The security forces retaliated ensuing in an encounter,” he added.

The slain militant has been identified as Babar Ali, a resident of Ugada district of Punjab in Pakistan. “Ali had reportedly escaped from Shokbaba forest where three militants were killed in encounter with security forces last month,” the sources said.

Ali was being constantly tracked and was engaged today. “The operation was going on when the reports last came in,” they added. (UNI)