Srinagar, May 17: A Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) Commander among two militants and a soldier were killed in fierce encounter in Gundna in Doda district of Jammu during a gunfight on Sunday morning.

“On a specific police input, an operation was launched late last night in Doda district. The encounter began in the morning,” police spokesperson said.

The officials said joint teams of Army’s Rashtriya Rifles, police and CRPF were launched on Saturday night after inputs were received about presence of two suspected militates inside a house.

As the search parties were moving towards the target area, they came under heavy fire which was retaliated, the officials said..

The same AK 47 Rifle which was taken away that time has been recovered after the encounter.The slain terrorist was a close associate of present Operational Commander of HM outfit Saifullah @ Dr Saif,was assigned the task of ‘Revival of Terrorism’ in Chenab Valley .

— IGP Jammu (@igpjmu) May 17, 2020

According to the police, one of the dead militant was identfied as Hizb commander Tahir Bhat of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

The police said  Bhat;’s name figured in the fabrication of Improvised Explosive Device (IED) which exploded near CRPF convoy at Banihal in March 2019.

“He was also a part of group of HM terrorists who killed RSS activist Sh.Chanderkant Sharma & his PSO in April 2019,” the police said.

“The same AK 47 Rifle which was taken away that time has been recovered after the encounter.The slain terrorist was a close associate of present Operational Commander of HM outfit Saifullah @ Dr Saif,was assigned the task of ‘Revival of Terrorism’ in Chenab Valley”.

With this operation, an attempt of HM to revive activities in Doda has been nipped. The designs of the HM to target SF Convoy & Camps has also be thwarted.

— IGP Jammu (@igpjmu) May 17, 2020

The police said killing of Bhat will halt the attempts of Hizb to revive activities in Doda.

During the gunfight one soldier militant was also killed in Doda.

The identity of the second militant was being ascertained, police said.