Srinagar, Aug 13(KNS) : Vijay Kumar, Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kashmir Friday said that a Lashkar-e-Tobia militant from Pakistan was killed in South kashmir's Kulgam gunfight as major tragedy was averted ahead of Independence Day

While talking to reporters here at Srinagar, the IGP said that the gunbattle broke out between militants and security forces when the militants opened fire on an BSF convoy, on its way to Srinagar, in Mirbazar on Jammu-Srinagar national highway. 

He said that the security forces cordoned off the area and launched a hunt for the militants."The search operation turned into an encounter during which Lashkar-e-Tobia militant from Pakistan was killed while another was escaped from the spot, " he said. 

The IGP futher said that he along with the GoC victor force was supervising the operation at the spot and today when security forces searched the target building, where body of Pakistani militant of Lashkar-e-Tobia outfit identified as Usman was recovered while arms and ammunitions including AK47, Megazine, Grenade, and RPG-7 rocket launcher were also recovered and it proves that there was going to be a big tragedy which we failed. 

"I am proud of our security forces for doing a great job and they foiled a major tragedy," the IGP added. About independent day security situation across kashmir, the top police officer said that "We've been stepping up security for the last several days and we've been using drones everywhere so that no untoward incident occurs anywhere, ".

Vijay Kumar appealed to the people to participate in August 15 as there is nothing to fear and police have already put in place strict security arrangements.(KNS).