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The Lashkar-e-Tayiba militant, who was allegedly involved in the murder of two teenaged sisters in Sopore town of Baramulla district, was killed by security forces in the apple town on Sunday.
Wasim Ahmad Ganaie, who had taken shelter in an underground drainage system in Muslim Peer area of Sopore on Saturday, was killed in the wee hours of Sunday, officials said. The officials said Ganaie was one of the two militants who had abducted and then shot dead Arifa and Akhter in the same area of Sopore on the night of January 31.
Security forces had on Saturday launched a search operation in Muslim Peer locality after receiving information about some militants hiding in a medical shop. As the security forces were closing in, the militants opened fire on them.
In the ensuing gun-battle, self-styled divisional commander of Harkatul Mujahideen outfit Chota Kalimullah alias Shamsher was killed on Saturday.
He was also operating under the code name of Talwar Bhai, the spokesman said, adding an AK 47 rifle, six magazines and a pistol magazine were recovered from the scene of the encounter. Some buildings were damaged during the operation and the security forces are searching through the debris.
The killing of the two girls had evoked a sharp reaction from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had called the killers 'heartless'.
Lashkar-e-Tayiba, which had initially denied its involvement in the killing of the two teenagers, later claimed responsibility and alleged the two sisters were working as 'informers' for security forces.