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Lihotta massacre main accused among six killed in J&K

Six people, including the main accused in the massacre of a dozen members of Village Defence Committee in Doda district last year, were killed in different militancy-related incidents in Jammu division since Monday, official sources said in Jammu on Tuesday.

A joint team of the Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police, which had launched an operation in Fagsu area of Thathri tehsil in Doda district on Sunday evening, came in contact with militants on Monday, the sources said.

Hiding in houses, the militants opened heavy fire to which the security forces retaliated, the sources said. They added that in the ensuing gun-battle, which went on for several hours, a section commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Noor Hussain, the main accused in the killing of 12 VDC members in Lihotta area of Doda district in July 1999, was killed while his associates escaped.

Besides the Lihotta massacre, Hussain was also involved in several militancy-related incidents, including attacks on security force camps and vehicles, the sources said.

One Special Police Officer, Anil Kumar, who was wounded during the encounter, later succumbed to his injuries, they said.

One AK-56 rifle along with two magazines and eleven rounds, two Chinese grenades, one wireless set, one pouch, diaries and photo films were recovered from the slain militant, the sources said.

In another encounter, security personnel killed a militant, identified as Khwaja Fiyaz, of the Al-Badr outfit at Faisalabad in Surankote area of Poonch district, the sources said.

One Improvised Explosive Device was recovered from his possession, the sources said. Later, one more IED, four hand grenades and a pouch containing two magazines of an AK-47 rifle and four detonators were recovered, the sources added.

Security forces killed one militant at Naka Majari in Poonch district on Monday night. In another incident, a civilian, identified as Misri, was brutally killed by militants in Dara Mode area on Tuesday, sources said.

A militant, identified as Noor Neeni, was killed in a joint operation by the army and the J&K police at Mohra Draj in Budhal area of Rajouri district. One AK-47 rifle along with 158 rounds, two hand grenades and one wireless set were recovered from him, the sources said.

RR troops busted a militant hideout at Kalani area of Surankote tehsil in Poonch district on Monday evening and recovered a huge cache of arms and explosives, they said.

Among the items recovered in the raid were five RPG rockets, five gelatine sticks, one rifle grenade launcher and two IEDs with remote control devices, the sources said.

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19 massacred in J&K

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