One Jaish-e-Muhammad militant was shot dead in frontier district Kupwara’s lolab pocket in north Kashmir on Thursday when Army and police chased a group of militants spotted in forested area.
Sources said that Army and counter-insurgency wing of J&K Police launched a joint operation at Margi-Anderbug area in lolab
following a tip-off that a group of four militants was spotted there.
While a cordon was being laid in the area, the militants attempted to break it and escape through the dense forest. However, the security forces chased the militants and engaged them in a gun-battle.
Sources said that during the gunfight, one militant was killed but others are reported to have escaped from the area. The slain militant was a cadre of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit. His body was later handed over to local Auqaf body for burial.
Sources said that cordon and search operation was continuing in the area till last reports poured in.
lolab was known to be the gateway of infiltration in the heydays of militancy in early 1990s.
However, the security forces restrained the ingress of militants through the loC and launched effective campaign in the villages to flush out militants.
Except for the deep jungles, there are less number of active militants in the area, sources said.