5 LeT, HM militants killed in encounter in J&K

Srinagar: Five militants belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir Saturday, officials said.

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Five militants have been killed in the operation at Chowgam in Kulgam district of south Kashmir, an Army official said here.

He said weapons and war-like stores have been recovered from the encounter site.

The operation is over, the official said.

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The encounter between the militants and security forces began this morning after the forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the area following intelligence inputs about the presence of militants there.

While the forces were conducting the searches, the militants fired upon the forces, ensuing a gunfight.

A police official said the militants belonged to two outfits of LeT and HM and their killing was a huge success for the forces.

"It is a huge success for police and security forces. The militants belonged to both HM and LeT," he said.

He said most of the slain militants were "involved in a series of terror acts including killing of two bank employees and many policemen".

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"They were also involved in bank robberies and weapon looting," the police official said.

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Meanwhile, clashes broke out near the site of the encounter as groups of youths started pelting stones on the forces, the official said.

He said a few youths have been injured in the forces' action on the protesters.

Train services between Baramulla and Qazigund have been suspended due to apprehensions of law and order problems. (PTI)

• #Lashkar e Taiba
• #LeT
• #Hizbul Mujahideen
• #Kulgam
• #Jammu and Kashmir
• #security forces