Poonam Nath

J&K's Bandipora: Top LeT commander Altaf Lalli killed in a gunfight

Digital Desk: Top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Altaf Lalli was killed in an encounter in Bandipora, marking the first death in India's effort to track down and neutralise the masterminds of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

The operation is part of a larger security effort to find LeT terrorists who may have been responsible for the 26-person massacre.

The Indian Army and the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted a joint search operation in Bandipora on Friday morning in response to specific intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists. A shootout ensued when contact with the terrorists was established.

According to earlier reports, one of the terrorists being hunted by security authorities was hurt in the first round of gunfire. Two police officers who were both on a senior officer's personal security unit suffered injuries as well in the same incident.

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, meanwhile, was briefed on the current Bandipora operation upon his arrival in Srinagar. He is expected to carry out an in depth security assessment of the situation and evaluate the operation's advancement in locating LeT militants thought to be responsible for the Pahalgam terror incident.