Date:04/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/04/stories/2006070407241000.htm

National

Top Lashkar, Al-Badr militants killed

Shujaat Bukhari

Including those responsible for the attack on a tourist bus

SRINAGAR: The 12-hour-long gun-battle between the security forces and militants in Bandipore ended on Monday with the killing of two militants belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). One soldier was also killed in the encounter.

In another incident on the outskirts of Srinagar, the police and the CRPF gunned down two militants of the Al-Badr responsible for the attack on a tourist bus.

Police sources said that on receiving information that the commander of the LeT in Kashmir, Salahuddin alias Bilal, was hiding at Gamroo village near Bandipore an operation was launched by the Army, the BSF and the police leading to the death of two militants.

LeT denial

LeT spokesman Abdullah Gaznavi told a local news agency that Salahuddin was safe and that news of his killing was propaganda by government agencies. He said two others — Abu Ali and Abu Huraira — were killed in the encounter. Seven houses were also gutted. Some residents alleged that the some houses were set on fire by the security forces.

The district commander of the Al-Badr, Qasim, was killed along with his close associate on the outskirts of Srinagar, said Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir Zone, S.M. Sahai. He said that during routine combing the militants fired on the search party and in the retaliatory action both were killed. "Qasim was the master-mind behind the grenade blast on the tourist bus in Zakoora."

Two AK rifles and other ammunition were recovered from their possession. One CRPF personnel was injured in the encounter.