Three terrorists -- two district commanders of Lashkar-e-Tayiba and one Hizbul Mujahideen commander -- were killed in an encounter with the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday, police said.
Hizbul Mujahideen commander Masood was among the three terrorists neutralised, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police Dilbag Singh said.
With Masood's killing, Doda has become totally 'terrorist-free' district, Singh said.
'With today's operation at Khulchohar area of Anantnag by Police along with Local RR unit in which 2 Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorists including one district commander and one HM commander Masood were neutralised, Doda district in Jammu Zone becomes totally militancy free once again,' Singh said.
The J-K DGP said that Masood who hails from Doda district was involved in a rape case registered by Doda police and was absconding ever since.
'He later joined Hizbul Mujahideen and shifted his area of operation to Kashmir,' he said.
The security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Khul Chohar in the south Kashmir district following information about the presence of terrorists in the area, a police official said.
The operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired upon a search party of the forces, who retaliated, the official said.
-- with ANI inputs
