Hizbul Mujahideen commander killed in JK encounter

A top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit was killed in a fierce gunfight in south Kashmir's Batpora village, 35 kms away from Srinagar, on Saturday evening.

A senior police officer said troops of Rashtriya Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and the state police jointly surrounded a house in Batpora village, after receiving information  about the presence of a group of militants inside.

After the militants were challenged to surrender, they opened fire at the security forces, injuring an army officer.

"The militants were engaged in a sustained gunfight during which a divisional commander of Hizbul Mujaheedin outfit, identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Dar alias Musharaf, was killed," the officer said.

Musharaf had been active in the area since 1997, he added. Two houses were also damaged in the gunfight, informed the police officer.