Women holding a protest demonstration during the funeral procession of Hizb-ul Mujahideen commander Abdul Hamid Tantray, who was killed by the Special Operations Group of the local police in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Wednesday. — PTI photo

Srinagar, July 25
A top militant, Commander Masood, deputy chief of the Hizb-ul Mujahideen was killed in an encounter with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the Jammu and Kashmir police in Pulwama district yesterday.

The police said Abdul Hamid Tantray alias Commander Masood, resident of Shangas in Anantnag district was killed in an encounter with the SOG at Pahoo in Pulwama district of South Kashmir yesterday. One pistol with a magazine and six rounds and some incriminating documents were recovered from his possession, a police spokesman stated here.

Commander Masood, who was also the spokesman for the Hizb-ul Mujahideen, led a four-member delegation during talks with the Central Government delegation on August 3 last year. The talks were mediated by Mr Fazal Haque Qureshi.

According to a spokesman for the Hizb-ul Mujahideen, Commander Masood was allegedly killed in custody after he was arrested by the police from the Pampore area of Pulwama district yesterday morning. The spokesman claimed that Masood was apprehended during his visit in the area.

In another incident, an unidentified foreign militant was killed at Hanjikote in Kupwara district of North Kashmir. Four AK rifles, four magazines, 90 rounds, two UBGL, 15 rifle grenades and 33 hand grenades and other ammunition were recovered from the site of the encounter.

Elsewhere in the state, eight militants and a special police officer were killed while forces captured three militants during the past 24 hours.

The security forces gunned down six militants at Panjni Nallah in the Balakote sector during the past 48 hours. Two AK rifles, one pistol, three magazines, two grenades, 100 rounds and a diary were also seized.

The security forces killed a foreign militant, Mohammad Ishaq, alias Abu Kudass, of Faisalabad in Pakistan in an encounter at Chadoora in Badgam district this morning. Three suspected militants were also nabbed.

JAMMU: A Special Police Officer (SPO) was killed and two persons, including an Army jawan, were injured in separate incidents in Doda district of this division since yesterday, official sources said on Wednesday.