26/11 mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's nephew among six terrorists killed in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora

Six militants were killed while an Indian Air Force Garud commando lost his life on Saturday during an encounter that broke out in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district between the security forces and militants on Saturday.

#UPDATE: One IAF Garud personnel lost his life, 2 Army personnel injured in #Hajin encounter. Operation continues. #Bandipora

— ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017

According to media reports, the nephew of 26/11 Mumbai attacks mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was among the six terrorists gunned down. Security forces cordoned off and launched a search operation in Chandergeer village in Hajin area of the district after receiving specific intelligence input about the presence of militants in the area, a police official said. The search operation resulted in an encounter when the militants hiding there fired on the search party of the security forces, who retaliated. The gunfight was went on for hours before ending on Saturday evening.

#FLASH: #Hajin encounter ends, total 6 LeT terrorists gunned down, out of which one is Owaid, Abdul Rehman Makki's son & 26/11 Mumbai attack mastermind Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi's nephew. Arms & ammunition also recovered. pic.twitter.com/kASZlU842K

— ANI (@ANI) November 18, 2017

According to News18 report, a joint team of army and Central Reserve Police Force and Jammu and Kashmir Police launched the search operation. On Thursday, security forces had launched a Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) in Garoora village of Bandipora, following a tip-off about the presence of militants, news agency UNI had reported. Security forces conducted house to house searches and identity cards of male members were properly checked, added the report. On 29 October, two militants were shot down by security forces in an encounter in Mir Mohalla village in Hajin town of the district. With inputs from PTI