Yaseen Itoo, a top commander of the terrorist outfit Hizbul Mujahideen, was among three terrorists killed in an encounter with security forces in the Shopian district of Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. Two soldiers also lost their lives in the 20-hour gun-battle that began last night. Three others, including an officer, were seriously injured.
The encounter started on Saturday evening when security forces received a tip-off that the Hizbul Mujahedeen was holding a meeting of its top commanders in the village.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with soldiers from the 3-Rashtriya Rifles as well as the 14th and 177th battalions of CRPF, launched a search operation soon after.
During the operation, the terrorists hiding in the area opened fire at security personnel. Intermittent firing continued through the night and security forces launched an all-out assault in the morning.
In the initial gun battle, five army personnel were injured. However, two army personnel succumbed to their injuries later. The two slain personnel were identified as sepoy Ilayaraja and sepoy Gawai Sumedh Waman of the Rashtriya Riffles.
Later, the security forces encircled the targeted house and engaged the militants in a gun battle. However, the militants continued to change their locations to hoodwink the forces.
Besides Ittoo, also known as 'Ghaznavi', two others identified as Irfan ul Haq Sheikh from Shopian and Umar Majeed Mir from Kulgam were killed.
"The killing of Yaseen Ittoo is a big setback for the Hizbul leadership because he was the main recruiter and operational commander. He was involved in numerous terror activities including cop killings and grenade lobbing. He was also involved in causing disruptions during elections," Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar, Superintendent of Police, Shopian, told DNA.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Indian Army")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}