Three LeT terrorists, civilian killed in Anantnag encounter;One more bank robbery; Rs 10 lakh looted

STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: Three Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists were killed in an encounter at south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Thursday, according to the reports.
A search operation was launched at Hassanpora village in Bijbehara area of Anantnag early morning following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of militants in the village, a police official said. The official said as the security forces were conducting the search operation, the militants fired upon them triggering an encounter.
Railway authorities had suspended train services from Budgam-Banihal due to the encounter. There were also reports of mobile services being suspended in Kulgam and Anantnag districts.
Post-encounter, a combing operation is underway.
Meanwhile, a 24-year-old civilian was on Thursday killed by a stray bullet near the site of an encounter between militants and security forces in the encounter.
The civilian casualty took place when security personnel were dealing with a mob of stone-pelters, who were targeting the forces near the encounter site to distract them from the operation to flush out the hiding militants.
Arif Shah, a resident of Sangam area of Anantnag district, was hit by a stray bullet, the official said but did not give any further details.
Local residents alleged that Shah was killed in action by security forces action against the protestors.
Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area last night following information about  presence of at least two militants in the area, the police official said.
He said an encounter broke out between the security forces and militants in the early hours on Thursday, which was continuing till last reports came in.
In yet another bank robbery incident, gunmen stormed a bank in Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday and made away with Rs 10 lakh. According to a police officer four to five gunmen entered the Aarihal village branch of J&K Bank and decamped with the cash. The assailants had overpowered the staff and security. A massive manhunt has been launched to nab the criminals, the report said.
Mobile phone services were snapped in some parts of south Kashmir, police said on Thursday.
“The mobile phone services have been suspended in some areas of Anantnag and Kulgam districts as a precautionary measure,” a police official said.
The official did not cite any reasons for the move but it is believed to have been taken to prevent miscreants mobilising masses in Bijbehara area.
Miscreants have in the past indulged in stone-pelting on security forces to help holed up militants to escape the cordon.