Srinagar, Mar 7 (UNI) A self-styled chief of Harkat-ul-Mujahideen (HuM) and another militant were killed in a fierce encounter with the security forces in north Kashmir early this morning, a senior police officer said.

Elsewhere in the state security forces busted three hideouts and recovered war like stores during the past 24 hours.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kupwara, said a joint operation was launched by the police and 2 PARA Regiment after receiving information that some top militants were hiding at Demnar top forest in the frontier district.

He said during the operation, militants opened fire on search party with automatic weapons and also hurled hand grenades. Security forces tightened the cordon and retaliated the fire killing two militants.

The SSP said the identity cards recovered from the slain militants identified their names as Abu Shaheen alias Shaheen Afghani, and Tahir Saqib.

He said Abu Shaheen was believed to be the chief of the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen outfit.

Two AK rifles, six magazines and wireless set in damaged condition have also been recovered from the site of the encounter.

An official spokesman said security forces also smashed two hideouts at Langlote near the Line of Control (LoC) and Khenetar in Poonch district of Jammu region last night. The arms and ammunition recovered from the hideouts included 6 RPGs, eight UBGLs, one hand grenade, one pika gun, three magzines and 15 rouds of ammunition.

Another hideout was unearthed at Khodi in Kupwara and one pistol, two magzines, 61 rounds of ammunition, three hand grenades and one wireless set were recovered. However, no one was arrested.

UNI