People look at a house in village Samboora of Pulwama district of Srinagar city, 28 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 26, 2017. Top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant outfit was killed in an overnight gunfight with a joint party of police and army here. (Xinhua/Javed Dar)
SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Dec. 26 (Xinhua) -- A top militant commander was killed Tuesday in a fierce gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.
The gunfight broke out in village Samboora of Pulwama district, 28 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
"Top commander of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant outfit was killed in an overnight gunfight with a joint party of police and army here," a senior police official posted in Pulwama said.
"The militant's body has been recovered and he has been identified as Noor Mohammad Tantray, a divisional commander of the outfit."
According to police, the operation began on specific intelligence information about the presence of two militants in the village.
Reports said joint contingents of government forces surrounded the area, following which the gunfight was triggered and which continued for several hours.
The house where the militants were believed to have taken refuge has been damaged in the stand-off.
Police Chief Shesh Paul Vaid told media that the militant commander was planning a major attack on an army convoy on Srinagar-Jammu highway.
"Gunfight is going on since last evening. There was an input about presence of two to three militants near highway planning to attack convoy. One body of militant recovered so far and search for others is going on," Vaid said.
Local media reports said a policeman was wounded in the gunfight.
