Srinagar: A Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander was among the two militants killed in a brief encounter at Ganapora, Kralgund area of Handwara in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district Wednesday evening.

Officials said that among the slain militants was Lashkar commander Naseer-u-Din Lone.

They said that a combined search operation was earlier launched in the area after specific inputs about the presence of militants in the area.

Defence spokesman in Srinagar Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that a joint operation was launched late Wednesday evening in the orchards of Ganipora. “Cordon was laid and contact established. Firefight ensued. Two militants were killed in the gunfight,” Colonel Kalia said.

Inspector General of Police Kashmir Vijay Kumar tweeted that “Handwara encounter update: LeT commander Naseer-u-Din Lone, who was involved in the killing of three CRPF jawans at Sopore on May 4 this year, got killed.”

This was the second encounter on Wednesday. Earlier in the morning, one unidentified militant was killed in an encounter South Kashmir’s Shopian district.