Three Lashkar-e-Taiba Terrorists Gunned Down in Shopian Encounter
Shopian, May 13 — Security forces shot dead three terrorists belonging to the Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in a fierce gunfight in the Shukroo Keller forests of Shopian district, Jammu and Kashmir, earlier today.
Acting on specific intelligence inputs, a joint team of the Army, CRPF, and Jammu & Kashmir Police launched a cordon and search operation in the area.
The terrorists opened fire, triggering a heavy exchange that ended with all three being neutralized.
One of the slain terrorists has been identified as Shahid Kuttay, a top LeT commander active in South Kashmir. The identity of the other two is being verified, police sources said.
A large cache of arms and ammunition, including AK-47 rifles and other warlike stores, was recovered from the encounter site. Security forces suspect the group was planning a major strike in the region.
Officials hailed the successful operation as a big blow to Lashkar-e-Taiba’s network in the Valley. The area is being combed for any remaining threats.