Senior Lashkar-e-Taiba  commander Abu Dujana was shot dead by security forces In Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. Photo: YouTube screen grab
Senior Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Abu Dujana was shot dead by security forces In Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday. Photo: YouTube screen grab

Senior Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Abu Dujana was killed in an encounter with Indian security forces in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday morning, IANS reported.

Another LeT terrorist, Arif Lilhaari, was also killed during the exchange of fire between in Hakripora village in Pulwama. A search operation was launched following intelligence reports about the presence of militants, and security forces surrounded the area at around 3 am, a police official told IANS.

Dujana, who had a Rs15 lakh (US$23,000) bounty on his head, was believed to be one of the masterminds behind numerous militant attacks across south Kashmir.

According to reports, Dujana, alias Hafiz, who was from northern Pakistan, was the LeT’s so-called “divisional commander.” He was one of the 12 most wanted militants active in the valley, figuring prominently on a security forces hit list of terrorists belonging to the LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen.