Kulgam, Nov 20: A top militant commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen was killed in an encounter in the southern district of Kulgam on Saturday, police said.

A senior police officer said that a joint team of Police, Army’s 09 RR and CRPF launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) on specific information about the presence of militants in the Ashmuji, Kulgam.

The official said that as the joint team of forces approached the suspected spot, the hiding militant fired upon them, which retaliated, triggering an encounter.

In the ensuing gunfight, one militant identified as Mudasir Ahmad Wagay district commander HM was killed, he said.

Meanwhile, a police spokesman in a statement  said that today at about 1 pm, based on credible input about the presence of militants in village Ashmuji area of district Kulgam, a cordon and search operation was launched by Kulgam Police, 9RR and 18Bn CRPF.

“During the search operation, after the presence of militant was ascertained, efforts were made to evacuate the civilians and a message  was passed to hiding militant to surrender, however he denied and started firing indiscriminately upon the security forces, which was retaliated leading to an encounter,” he said. ““In the ensuing encounter, one militant namely Mudasir Ahmad Wagay Son of Mohd Jamal Wagay a resident of Malwan, Devsar was killed. He was (A+) categorized as a militant and was presently District Commander outfit HM.”

The spokesman said that the slain has been active since 2018. In this connection, a case with FIR number 242/2021 under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Kulgam and investigation has been initiated, the police spokesman said.

Pertinently, this was third encounter in the district in last four days as earlier five militants were killed in two separate encounters in Gopalpora and Pombay area of the district on Wednesday this week,