RAMBAN, May 26: A top Hizbul Mujahideen militant was killed in a gunbattle with Indian forces in Indian-held Kashmir’s Ramban district, police said on Saturday.

Ghulam Qadir alias Tohidul Islam, a self-styled Hizbul commander, was killed in Bhimdasa area in Ramban in a joint operation by police and army on Friday night.

Qadir, said to be the last Hizbul commander in Ramban, was killed after an hour-long exchange of fire.

A rifle, three magazines and 54 rounds were seized, police said, adding that the militant was on his way home when he was intercepted by Indian forces.

In Jammu, IGP Dilbagh Singh said it was the `biggest achievement’ of security forces in recent times.

He said Qadir was active in the area since 2006 and was involved in several militancy-linked incidents of crime, including killing of three armymen.

Mr Singh said now only 29 terrorists were active in the Jammu region, including four in Ramban and seven in Kishtwar.

Asked whether the militants could pose a threat to the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, he said they had so far not received any specific inputs about militants planning to target the annual pilgrimage.

By arrangement with Times of India