Top Lashkar commander killed in Sopore encounter

A top terrorist of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba was killed in the nightlong gunfight in north Kashmir's apple rich Sopore town, 54 kms from Srinagar. Security forces had surrounded a house in Sopore's Baghat locality on Monday morning during which the holed up militants fired at them resulting in critical injuries to a policeman and two Rashtriya Rifles troopers.

A policeman identified as Ghulam Hassan, who was shifted to Srinagar for specialized treatment succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening. The house in which the militants were hiding was destroyed during the gunfight.

A search of the debris on Tuesday morning turned up the body of the slain LeT commander Zubair. Searches are still going on in the area, a senior police officer said. He said two civilians were also injured in the gunfight.