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Two ultras, 2 cops killed in encounter
Shariq Majeed/Tribune News Service

Rajouri, January 13
Two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militants were killed in an encounter with the Jammu and Kashmir police in Dharamsaal belt under Kalakote tehsil of Rajouri today. The police also lost its two men in the gunbattle.

On a tip-off that militants were hiding in the forest area of the belt, the police launched a cordon and search operation in the afternoon. As the cops zeroed in and asked the militants to surrender, the latter opened fire at the police party.

The police retaliated and in the ensuing gunbattle, which lasted for about an hour, gunned down two terrorists, but also lost as many of its men — constable Mushtaq Ahmed and special police officer Nissar Ahmed.

Confirming the report, Nowshera ASP RK Bhat said: “The slain militants, both of foreign origin, belonged to LeT and one of them was a self-styled divisional commander of the outfit.” The militants were identified as Abu Tallah and Ishfaq, the ASP added.

Meanwhile, intelligence sources told The Tribune that it was probably the same group of militants that had escaped from the Army offensive at Poonch recently.

UDHAMPUR: The police on Tuesday arrested two persons who were working as overground workers (OGWs) for the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The OGWs were arrested from Thathri tehsil of Doda district following inputs from locals.

DIG Doda-Ramban range Himant Kumar Lohia said the arrested OGWs were assigned the job by the LeT militants to provide SIM cards to militants operating in the remotest and far-flung areas.

According to the police, based on specific information, a joint operation was launched and two OGWs have identified as Waseem Raza, a resident of Chaka Bhaderwah, and Najam Din Gujjar, a resident of Ghoru Shamdalian, Tehsil Thathri, were arrested from Thathri area.

Four SIM cards of a private telecom company and Rs 20,000 were seized from their possession while case has been registered against them.

So far, over 25 OGWs have been nabbed by the police during the last one month in Doda and Kishtwar districts.