Two Pakistani militants, special officer killed in Kashmir (Second Lead)

JAMMU - Two Pakistani militants, including a self-styled divisional commander of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and a special police officer were killed in a fierce gun battle with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, officials said.

Abdullah Anas or Abu Anas, an LeT commander, was gunned down inside a house in Judi Khurd area, 190 km northeast of Jammu, the state’s winter capital. Abu Anas was also the main ‘hawala’ coordinator for LeT, responsible for clandestine money transfers in Jammu and Kashmir.

Also killed was his trusted aide Abu Maaz, also a Pakistani, an Indian army spokesperson said.

Inspector General of Police (Jammu) Ashok Gupta said special police officer Barkat Ali was injured in the gun battle and later succumbed to his injuries.

Gupta said the police were a part of a “joint operation team” against the terrorists in Doda.

According to army, acting on a tip-off soldiers from the 26 and 31 battalions of Rashtriya Rifles - a counter-insurgency force of the army - surrounded the house.

“Four civilians were evacuated from the house to ensure they were not harmed,” said defence spokesperson Lt. Col. Biplab Nath in a statement.

Once that happened, the fighting started between the troops and the holed up guerrillas.

“There was heavy exchange of fire after terrorists opened fire at the troops around 1 p.m. (Wednesday). This continued for two hours before the terrorists were gunned down,” Lt. Col. Nath said.

Soldiers recovered two AK-47 rifles from the dead men.

An army official said the two Pakistanis routinely molested local women.

“Fearing reprisals, the locals chose to turn a blind eye. The two were actively involved in planning terror strikes against security forces,” the official said.

“For the security forces, the neutralisation of the two LeT militants is a resounding success,” he said.

Meanwhile, Ashok Gupta has said the joint operations against terrorists will continue.

“We will not allow anyone to disturb peace in the region,” he said in a statement complimenting police and army personnel who conducted the operation.