Top LeT militant behind Gagangir attack killed in Dachigam encounter, operation on: Police

Srinagar : A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) category-A militant involved in the Gagangir Sonamarg militant attack, where at least seven people were killed, has been killed in an ongoing gunfight between security forces and militants in the upper reaches of Dachigam, officials said.
They said security has been tightened in the Dachigam area as the anti-militancy operation continues in the forest region.
An official said hat the militant involved in the Gagangir Sonmarg militant attack has been killed in a gunfight between security forces and militants in the upper reaches of Dachigam.
“The militant was affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and has been identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat, a LeT Category A militant from Kulgam. He was involved in the Gagangir Sonmarg militant attack, which claimed the lives of seven innocents, including a doctor,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir Zone Police tweeted about the ongoing operation. “One militant is killed and has been identified as Junaid Ahmed Bhat (LeT, Category A). The said militant was involved in civilian killings at Gagangir, Ganderbal, and several other militant attacks. Operation continues in the upper reaches of Dachigam by J&K Police along with joint parties of RR and security forces. Further details shall follow,” tweeted Srinagar Police on X.
Locals from the Harwan Srinagar area said they heard initial gunfire last night, prompting them to come out of their homes to locate the source of the sound.
“It was around 11:15 pm last night when we heard a loud gunfire sound and came out of our house to see what had happened,” said Faizan, a local. “Later, it was revealed that the loud sounds were gunfire, and an encounter had broken out in the area.”
Similarly, as a precautionary measure, all roads leading to the encounter site were sealed, and an alert was sounded in the area, with multiple checkpoints set up in Dachigam and Harwan Srinagar areas.