AD Lashkar-e-Taiba Commander Ayub Lelhari Killed in Pulwama Encounter

A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander was on Wednesday killed by security forces during an encounter in Pulwama district. 

"Ayub Lelhari, a district commander of Lashkar, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama," a police spokesman said.

Police personnel along with Army and CRPF officers laid an ambush at Banderpora, Drubgam and Chandgam, after they were tipped off about the movement of Lelhari.

A police spokersperson further added that a vehicle in which the LeT commander was travelling was intercepted in Banderpora.

"The terrorist tried to flee and fired upon the joint party which was retaliated in which he was killed," he said.

The spokesman said two police personnel had also sustained injuries during the gunfight. One of them was shifted to Army's 92 Base Hospital Badamibagh for further treatment.

"The driver of the vehicle has been arrested," he added.

The spokesman said Lelhari had joined the terrorist outfit in 2015 and was involved in a number of terror incidents, including killing of civilians in Pulwama and an attack on security forces.

He was involved in grenade attacks on an Army camp and a police post at Kakapora. "He was also involved in the killing of sarpanch Fayaz Ahmad Kandizal," the spokesman said.

"The killing of Lelhari is yet another success in the fight against militancy," he said.