Disrupting an anti-militancy operation, a stone-pelting mob helped some terrorists, suspectedly including the Kashmir chief of Lashkar-e-Tayyaba, escape from the dragnet of security forces in Pulwama district, police said on Wednesday.

As a result, the operation launched on Tuesday evening was called off on Wednesday morning, a police official said.

The operation was launched after a tip-off about the presence of terrorists, including LeT's Kashmir chief Abu Dujana, in Hakripora area, the official said.

When the security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation, the terrorists opened fire, triggering a gunbattle.

However, a mob threw stones at the security personnel to disrupt the operation, which helped the terrorists flee, the police official said.

"Searches were concluded this morning. There was no fresh firing as the militants seemed to have escaped from the cordon last night," the official said. -- PTI

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