Army officer, LeT militant killed in encounter in J&K

An Army captain and a suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba militant have been killed in an encounter in Sopore town of Baramulla district, official sources said on Wednesday.

The army officer, who was injured when militants opened indiscriminate firing on security forces at the beginning of the operation in Model Town area of Sopore last evening, succumbed to injuries this morning, the sources said.

The captain was shifted to 92 Base Hospital here for treatment where he succumbed to his wounds. The Army is yet to identify him.

A suspected LeT militant has been killed in the overnight gunbattle even as security forces continue search of the debris of the house which was gutted in the exchange of fire between the two sides, the sources said.

A senior police officer said although the hostile firing has stopped early this afternoon, the operation has not been called off as there were reports of at least one more militant hiding there.

The slain militant has been identified as Abdullah Ubaid, a Pakistani national, the sources said, adding, some arms and ammunition were recovered from the spot.

The other militant has reportedly managed to escape from the cordon last night itself.

Intelligence sources said the escaped militant was operating under the name Abeedullah, a suspected Pakistani national.

Meanwhile, protests were held in the Chanakhan, main town and bus stand areas of Sopore town, this morning to disrupt peace, a police spokesman said.

The protestors pelted stones at security forces posted on law and order duty in these areas, he said.

The spokesman said police exercised maximum restraint while chasing away the protestors and brought the situation under control.