Security forces on Tuesday stormed a hotel in busy Lal Chowk area killing two LeT terrorists including a Pakistani, ending a 22-hour fierce gunbattle that also left a policeman and a civilian dead.
At least 11 persons including two CRPF jawans were injured in the encounter, the first this
year, which paralysed life in the heart of the city.
"The encounter is over. Two terrorists of Lashker-e-Taiba including a Pakistani have been killed," Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda told reporters at the scene of the gunbattle.
The Pakistani terrorist was identified by security agencies through wireless intercepts as Qari while the other was named as Usman from Sopore.
Security forces had a tough time dousing the fire that erupted in Hotel Panjab even as the terrorists lobbed grenades and opened indiscriminate firing at them.
While a CRPF jawan was killed on Monday in the firing, an injured civilan identified as Mohammad Akbar Lone succumbed to his wounds today.
Khoda said one militant was killed when the operation was resumed at 0700 hrs this morning after it was suspended last night. The other militant was shot dead around noon.
The DGP said concerted efforts were being made by Pakistani terrorists to hit targets in J and K and in other parts of the country. "There is desperation in infiltration, there is desperation in carrying out such attacks".