Top LeT militant Irshad Ganie killed in Kashmir encounter

A top Lashkar-e-Taiba militant, carrying a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was on Saturday killed in an encounter with police and army in Pulwama district, marking a major success for the security forces.

The slain militant Irshad Ganie, a resident of Kakapora of Pulwama about 40 kms south of here, was wanted for killing of eight armymen in Hyderpora in June 2013 besides several other attacks of army and police, official sources said.

Listed as 'A+' category (most wanted) militant by the police, Irshad was killed in an encounter that broke out at village Begum Bagh in Kakapora area when police went there following a specific information about presence of some militants there, they said.

The gunbattle erupted when the hiding militants opened fire at the police party. Soon, army was pressed into service and in the joint operation, he was finally killed. Irshad, who hails from the same district, had been active since 2011.

Security forces had launched a hot pursuit against him after his name cropped up in several encounters including that in Hyderpora and an attack on a hotel in outskirts of the city.