Ahead of May 6 Polls, Burhan Wani Aide Lateef Tiger Reportedly Killed in Shopian

Srinagar: Lateef Tiger, a top Hizbul commander and a close associate of the slain separatist poster boy Burhan Wani was among the three militants killed on Friday by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district, sources claimed.

Police has, however, so far officially only confirmed that three militants have been killed in this encounter which has now ended.

"The identities of the slain militants will be confirmed after we recover their dead bodies," an officer said.

A soldier of the Indian Army was injured in this joint operation carried out by the Rashtriya Rifles (RR), special operations group (SOG) of state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

The house in which the militants were hiding was destroyed in the gunfight while two other houses were partially damaged.

Clashes broke out at the site of the gunfight between the civilian protesters and the security forces.

One youth has sustained pellet injury during the mob control operation by the security forces.

Clashes also erupted in Anantnag, as news of Tiger's possible elimination spread. Lateef Tiger belonged to Awantipora town of Pulwama district.

A few of the other areas in South Kashmir were also reporting clashes as news of the encounter spread despite authorities suspended mobile internet facility in all the four south Kashmir districts.

Train services between Srinagar and Banihal towns those passing through south Kashmir districts have also been suspended.

Tiger was reportedly killed in Adkhara village of Imam Sahib area and with the end of Lateef Ahmad Dar -- 11 out of 12 members of the so-called 'Burhan Brigade' in south Kashmir is all but over. Only of the remaining 12, Tariq Pandit, was arrested by the security forces in 2016.

Shopian and Pulwama districts will vote on May 6 in the third and final phase of the three-phased polling in Anantnag Lok Sabha seat.