LeT militant killed in Sopore gunfight

Srinagar: After a brief lull in the encounters in Kashmir, a Lashkar-e-Toiba militant identified as a local, was killed in a gunfight at Gund-Brath village of Sopore in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. The encounter was first one after the commencement of annual pilgrimage of Amarnath on July 1. An army officer, who was also a part of operation said that a militant was killed in an encounter and arms and ammunition recovered from him.
Sources identified the slain militant as Adnan Ahmad Channa, son of Ali Muhammad Channa, a resident of Arampora Azad-Gunj, Baramulla. Earlier, Army’s 22 RR, 179 BN CRPF and SOG of J&K police jointly launched a cordon-and-search operation in Gund brath village of Sopore following specific information about the presence of militants inside a residential house.
Meanwhile, authorities suspended internet services in Sopore and Baramulla as a precautionary measure in wake of this encounter. Meanwhile, a police spokesman said that on a credible input, a cordon and search operation was launched jointly by police and security forces at Gund Brath area of Sopore.
“During the search operation, the hiding militant fired on the search party. The fire was retaliated leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, a militant identified as a local was killed and his body recovered,” the spokesman said.
The slain as per police records was affiliated with LeT and was wanted by law for his complicity in crimes including attack on security establishments and civilian atrocities. The police spokesman said that the people are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared of all the explosive materials if any.
Meanwhile, thousands of people participated in the funeral prayers of slain militant at his native village Azadgunj.