Top Lashkar commander gunned down in J&K's Handwara

Security forces on Sunday gunned down a top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, identified as Haider from Pakistan during an encounter in Handwara.

"Two terrorists including a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Haider from Pakistan killed in Handwara encounter," IG Kashmir Vijay Kumar informed.

The development comes less than 24 hours after five security personnel, including an Army Colonel and a Major, were martyred in an encounter with terrorists.

Elaborating on how the event unfolded, officials of the armed forces said that the team of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles had received intelligence input which suggested that terrorists were taking hostage the civilian inmates of a house in Changimulla, Handwara of the Kupwara district in the union territory. Based on this input, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army and the J&K Police.

The 21 Rashtriya Rifles team entered the house of a civilian to prevent a hostage situation when they came under heavy fire from terrorists who had already reached there. In the ensuing gunfight, the four army men and the cop lost their lives, the Indian Army spokesperson said. 

Civilians stuck inside the house were safely evacuated, the official added.