'Amarnath terrorists' killed, claims Army

Three Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists, who were killed by the security forces in a chance encounter at Wanihama village on Monday evening, are believed to have been involved in the Amarnath Yatra attack that left eight pilgrims dead and 19 others injured on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway at Botengoo on July 10.

"It has come to our notice that according to police records, these terrorists had a hand in the Amarnath Yatra attack. The police will be able to ascertain this better," said Colonel Aditya Sahai of the Victor Force of the Indian Army.

Intensifying their operations post the Amarnath Yatra attack, security forces had killed three terrorists in a chance encounter at Wanihama village in south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Monday evening.

The police said the terrorists opened heavy fire when they saw security forces coming from the opposite direction on Monday evening. There was immediate retaliation to the firing, which led to the three militants being killed on the spot.

The slain terrorists were later identified as Muzaffar Hajam, Showkat Lohar, and Naseer Ahmed of Lashkar-e-Tioba.

The police said the attack was masterminded by the LeT group, led by its commander AbuIsmail, a Pakistani national. The 20-something Abu Ismail is considered to be the deputy of the Kashmir chief of the LeT, Abu Dujana, who has given the security forces the slip on several occasions during cordon-and-search operations.

Ismail is touted to replace Dujana if he is killed or is exfiltrated back to Pakistan. In fact, sources said that Ismail is already heading the LeT in Kashmir, given the fact that Dujana has been sidelined due to differences within the group.

Operating in south Kashmir for the last two and a half years, Ismail has been a part of almost all attacks on the Srinagar-Jammu Highway. He is wanted in many cases and has been active in Pulwama and Kulgam.