3 militants killed in Tral encounter belong to Lashkar-e-Toiba

SRINAGAR: The three militants killed in an encounter with security forces in Tral area of Pulwama district of Kashmir have been identified as Lashkar-e-Toiba ( LeT) cadres, police said today.

One of them was a self-styled commander of the outfit, a police spokesman said.

The slain militants have been identified as Shiraz Ganai, a resident of Panzren, Shabir Bargat alias Haider, belonging to Hina Bagla area of Kalakot Rajouri and Aasif Bhat, from Chinigam, he said. The encounter took place at Aab-Ghar Tral last evening.

Ganai was involved in transportation of militants involved in the killing of an assistant sub-inspector of police, two special police officers outside Pulwama Court and four police personnel in Shopian district, he said.

Ganai had transported militants in his car to carry out those attacks, the spokesman said, adding he had joined LeT recently.

He said Bargat was active since 2010 and was an LeT 'commander'.

Initially he was associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad group. He later joined Hizbul Mujahideen and then LeT, he said.

He said Bargat was involved in the killing of Nasir Mir of Pinjura, weapon snatching of a guard in Shopian and robbery in Ruhama branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Rajpora area of Pulwama.

Bhat, the spokesman said, was involved in grenade throwing at Sangam in 2013 and was an over-ground worker of LeT 'commander' Ayatollah. He had joined the militant outfit recently.