Top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander was killed in a brief gunfight with government forces in Pulwama district of south Kashmir on Wednesday where as a CRPF trooper was wounded in a grenade attack by the militants in another neighbouring district Kulgam. 
A teenaged boy who had been critically injured in an accidental grenade blast last week lost his battle for life on Wednesday.
The shootout between forces and militants happened in Chakoora village of Pulwama Wednesday evening after a joint team of forces threw a cordon around the village following an input about the presence of militants in the area. Official sources said soon after the siege was laid and the forces advanced towards the suspected spot militants opened fire on them. The fire, they said, was retaliated triggering a brief gunfight.
In the shootout, a militant was killed on spot. He was later identified as Irfan Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of the same village. Irfan, officials said was operating as Lashkar-e-Toiba district commander for Pulwama from last one year.
Police in a statement said that the shootout triggered after the militants attacked a patrolling party passing through the village.
Earlier, as soon as the gunshots were heard during the cordon, local sources said, scores of youth hit the streets and pelted the forces with stones in a bid to disrupt the operation. However, they said, the forces teargassed the stone throwing protesters to drive them away.
Clashes, they said, continued till the conclusion of the gunfight. Authorities following the shootout also snapped mobile internet services in district Pulwama.
In another southern district Kulgam militants attacked a CRPF camp resulting into injuries to two Para-military men. 
Officials said the militants hurled a grenade using under barrel grenade launcher towards 18 battalion CRPF camp in Laroo area of Kulgam town.
The grenade, they said, exploded with a thundering sound causing injuries to two CRPF men. One of the injured personal was hit by splinters in hand and another in leg. They were taken to nearby hospital where from they were discharged after the first aid. Meanwhile, one of the teenaged boys who had suffered severe injuries after some explosive device they were fiddling with went off last Friday succumbed to injuries on Wednesday.
Junaid Bilal and Basharat, both aged 13, had reportedly found some explosive device near the encounter site in Drobgam village last week. 
On way back home to their native village Rohama, both the boys suffered injuries after the device suddenly went off. They had been taken to district hospital Pulwama where from Junaid who had suffered severe head injuries was referred to SKIMS for advanced treatment. However five days after battling for life, reports said, Junaid succumbed to injuries on Wednesday.
Reports said that the death of the boy created a state of mourning in his native village. "Gloom descended on the village soon after the news about the boy spread this afternoon," local sources said

Courtesy:Kashmiri Times ,Feb7,2019