SRINAGAR: Police say they have arrested a senior commander of the Lashkar e Toiba militant group in north Kashmir.
Qari Naveed alias Fahadullah was captured from a market place in Sopore town, 50 km from the capital Srinagar late on Wednesday evening.
A Pakistani national, he was the LeT’s Divisional Commander and had been operating in the valley for the past four years.
The Inspector General of Police, Abdul Gani Mir called Fahadullah’s arrest a significant breakthrough in the counter-insurgency campaign.
The IGP said Fahadullah had given some vital clues during interrogation. This led to the killing of another militant in a firefight with the police at Tarzoo village near Sopore today.
The firefight happened after the police and army had raided a hideout of the militants.
The slain militant has been identified as Shabir Ahmed Sheikh alias Shaaka, who was a resident of Palhallan in Baramulla district.
Another militant, trapped along with Shaaka, managed to escape, the IGP said.
