Jammu: Security forces today (Feb 25, 2004) shot dead a tehsil commander of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) in an encounter in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, official sources said.

The encounter broke out when troops of 17 Rastriya Rifles, on a tip-off, launched a combing operation in Changloo village of Banihal tehsil to track down a group of militants early today, they said.

A top militant was shot dead in the fierce gunbattle, the sources said. The slain ultra was identified as Abu Zunai, an LeT tehsil commander.

The operation was still on, the said.

The recoveries made from the scene of the encounter included one AK rifle, three magazines, 103 rounds, seven grenades, two IEDs, 88 detonators and ration, they said.