Srinagar, August 3
Militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba’s “commander” in the north Kashmir region, who had a reward of Rs 10 lakh on his head, was today killed in an encounter with security forces in the frontier Kupwara district.

The operation in which Hanzallah was killed was launched on Thursday afternoon. There was specific information that he was hiding in a hut of Mohammad Ramzan Hajam in Dudipora village in Handwara area, some 85 kilometres from Srinagar. “A joint search operation was launched by 21 RR of Army and police.

At around 7 pm, the hiding militant opened fire on the troops, which was retaliated to, triggering an encounter,” SP Handwara Mohammad Aslam told The Tribune.

“The militant had a hideout inside the hut,” he added.

Aslam said the operation was halted during the night but a tight cordon was maintained and reinforcements were rushed to the area.