PULWAMA: A Lashkar-e-Toiba commander was shot dead by the government forces in a brief shootout in Chakoora area of Litter in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Wednesday, even as massive clashes erupted near the site of the firefight.
One militant was killed and his body was recovered from the shootout site along with a weapon, said a source.
According to news agency GNS, the slain was identified as Irfan Ahmad Sheikh of Chakoora village.
Sheikh, it said, was commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba for district Pulwama and was active from past many years.
Earlier, reports said a joint team of the army, CRPF and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police cordoned off Chakoora area of Litter following inputs about the presence of militants.
It said the gunfight broke out after the forces approached the spot where the militants were hiding.
A police officer said that two to three militants were believed to be trapped in the area.
An eye witness said that intense clashes erupted after the youth marched towards the shootout site.
He said the forces fired tear gas shells to disperse the stone-throwing protesters.