Srinagar: In a breakthrough, a joint team of security forces today killed top Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant commander Umer Khalid in Ladoora area of North Kashmir, police said.

Director General of Jammu and Kashmir Police S P Vaid said it was a major breakthrough for the security forces as the militant was involved in many attacks on security camps in North Kashmir as well as targeting policemen in particular.

“He was killed in a joint operation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Special Operation Group, local police, the CRPF and the Army,” he said.

Khalid, who is a Pakistani national, had been operational in the area for last two to three years and was also instrumental in arranging recruits for the terror outfit, police said.

He had recently carried out an attack on a Special Police Officer and his seven-year-old son at Handwara, they said and added that Khalid was a A++ category top ranking terrorist and carried a cash reward of nearly Rs 7 lakh.

Giving details of the encounter, the police said security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Ladoora area following information about the presence of militants in the area.

The search operation turned into a gun battle when the militants opened fire on the search party, the police said, adding more troops were rushed to the area to prevent the militants from escaping.

The Jaish commander was killed in the encounter, they said.

The police is also probing his role in the recent attack carried out by the Jaish-e-Mohammed on BSF battalion headquarters near high-security Srinagar airport and attack on the District Police Lines at Pulwama.

It is expected that he was a part of the conspiracy behind these dastardly attacks, the police said.