Indian troops kill militant commander in Indian-controlled Kashmir

A militant commander belonging to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) was killed in a gunfight with troops and police in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said Tuesday.

The gunfight broke out at Zakura in the outskirts of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A militant was killed in an exchange of fire last evening in Zakura locality," a police official said. "Police launched search operation in the area on specific information about presence of two militants in the area. No sooner police and paramilitary forces reached close to the house where militant was hiding, it came under heavy fire, thereby triggering a gunfight."

The slain militant was identified as Sajjad Ahmad Bhat. According to police, Bhat was a local cadre of LeT and active over the past ten years.

LeT outfit is accused of carrying out a terror attack on India's financial capital -- Mumbai in 2008. The attack claimed 166 lives.

Reports said another militant accompanying Bhat has managed to break off the cordon and fled from the area.

Indian troops or police however have not suffered any damaged in the gunfight.

Meanwhile, clashes broke out in the native village of Bhat as mourners assembled to offer funeral prayers.

Police fired tear smoke shells to chase the protesters who were raising pro-freedom and anti-India slogans as they marched to bury Bhat, locals said.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfights between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan is claimed by both in full. Since their Independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endit