3 Lashkar militants, including district commander, killed in Anantnag

Mobile internet not suspended in unusual decision by administration

Shopian: Three militants, including Arif Hajam, the Lashkar-e-Toiba’s district commander, were killed in a gunfight with government forces in Kwarigam Ranipora in Achbal area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday afternoon, police sources said.
The gunfight in the area broke out at around 3:30 in the afternoon.
Police sources said that the gunfight began soon after a cordon and search operation (CASO) in the area was started by joint team of government forces including army, central reserve police force and Jammu and Kashmir Police, after inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
They said that two of the militants were killed in initial exchange of fire and the third militant was killed after some time.
Local sources said that within a few minutes of the announcement of a cordon, the killing of two militants was reported. They said that after half an hour another killing was confirmed.
Police sources said that Arif Hajam, the LeT’s district commander, was killed in the encounter. The other slain militants were yet to be identified when this report was filed.
In a surprising move, mobile internet services were not barred in the district, most probably for the first time since 2019 in the district on the day of an encounter.

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