Lashkar commander Bashir Lakshari​, two other terrorists killed in encounter in J&K's Anantnag

Dreaded Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Bashir Lakshari and three terrorists are trapped in the security forces cordon in village Brenti in Anantnag.

Srinagar: Dreaded Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Bashir Lakshari , involved in the killing of six policemen last month, along with two other terrorists was on Saturday killed in an encounter by security forces in Anantnag district of Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir DGP confirmed the report of Bashkari's death. 

Lakshari along with his three associates was the four ultras trapped in a security forces' cordon in Anantnag district of Kashmir where a civilian woman died in crossfire today, police said.

"Bashir Lakshari and three terrorists are trapped in the security forces cordon in village Brenti in Anantnag. The trapped ultras were involved in the killing of an SHO and five other policemen in Achabal area of south Kashmir on June 16," a police spokesman said earlier.

One woman was killed and seven other people wounded in the cross-firing after she was caught in the exchange of fire between security forces and the militants during the operation. At least 17 civilians were rescued from the house in which the militants were holed up

Tahira, 44, sustained injuries during the encounter and was rushed to the district hospital, where she died later, officials said.

"The lady was killed while we were laying a cordon," Inspector General of police Muneer Ahmed Khan told AFP.

Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in Brenti-Batpora in Anantnag at 3:00 am today after they received information about the presence of the militants, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire on the security forces.

A police spokesman said the militants were using civilians as human shields and that efforts were on to rescue them. The operation was still on.

"They (the civilians) told the soldiers from inside the house that either let the rebels go or kill us as well," said a resident of Dialgam who declined to give his name.

As gunshots were heard in the area hundreds of villagers came out on to the streets shouting anti-India slogans and throwing stones at soldiers in their attempts to break the cordon and help the rebels escape.

On June 16, SHO Feroz Ahmed and five other policemen were killed on the outskirts of Anantnag district. After the deadly attack, the Jammu and Kashmir police had announced a bounty of Rs 12 lakh on Lakshari.