Security forces gun down two terrorists in in J&K; one terrorist surrenders

In a major success, security forces on Sunday gunned down two Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, including its self-styled divisional commander Shakoor Ahmed Dar, in an encounter in Kulgam district of South Kashmir.

The third terrorist who was holed up in the area later surrendered.

The police said that a tip-off had been received about the presence of the terrorists in the Chedar Ban area in Kulgam district, after which a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Army and the CRPF, cordoned off the suspect house.

After a heavy fire of exchange between the terrorists and security forces, two terrorists were killed while the third surrendered. According to officials the second terrorist who was killed was a Pakistani national.

Security forces have been carrying out operations to sanitise the Jammu-Srinagar national highway ahead of the annual Amarnath pilgrimage, beginning June 28.

This is the third major encounter along the national highway. Three terrorists of Jaish-e-mohammad were gunned down in Tral on June 20, four terrorirsts were killed on June 22.

Meanwhile, Commander of 15 Corps in Baramulla, Lt. General A. K. has Bhatt said that there are around 250-275 terrorists present in the valley. He added that atmosphere in the valley is now better than it was earlier.