Doda is militancy free after Hizbul commander's death in encounter: Police

Doda district in Jammu and Kashmir has become "militancy free" as the last of the surviving militants in the area was killed in an encounter with security forces in Anantnag district on Monday, police said.

"With today's operation at Khull Chohar in Anantnag by Anantnag Police along with 19 RR, CRPF in which two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorists including one district commander and one Hizbul Mujahideen commander Masood were neutralised, Doda district in Jammu Zone becomes totally militancy free once again as Masood was last surviving terrorist of Doda," a police spokesman said.

The spokesman said Masood, a resident of Doda, was involved in a rape case in the district, and was absconding ever since.

"He later joined Hizbul Mujahideen and shifted his area of operation to Kashmir," the spokesman added.