Srinagar, Nov 26: Four top militants of pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, three of them involved in the killing of former minister Mushtaq Ahmed Lone and his brother, were killed in two separate encounters with police in Kupwara district of Jammu and Kashmir today, official sources said. Acting on a tip off, the Special Operations Group of local police surrounded Palnar-Sogam in Kupwara soon after Eid prayers were over this morning and asked three militants hiding in a house to surrender.
But they opened fire and in the ensuing gunbattle all the three militants were killed, the sources said adding they were involved in the killing of former minister and National Conference leader Mushtaq Ahmed Lone and his elder brother Mohiuddin Lone.
The slain militants have been identified as Hizbul ‘divisional commander’ Manzoor Ahmad alias Sajid, a resident of Bonigam, Ghulam Mohammad Dar of Lachipora and Bila Ahmad Dar of Sogam. Another militant of the same outfit, yet to be identified, was killed in Mowgam Sector of the same district this morning, the sources said. Bureau Report