In yet another setback to the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen, security forces on Tuesday shot dead a divisional commander of the terrorist outfit in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir.
On a tip off, troops and police launched a cordon and search operation in Batyas area in remote Gandoh tehsil of Doda district late Monday night, official sources said.
During the search, police and 26 Rastriya Rifles troops zeroed in on a hideout, where a meeting of United Jehad council terrorists was taking place.
A fierce encounter soon ensued between the two sides in which a Hizbul divisional commander -- Gulam Hassan Wani alias Shamim Thool -- was killed. An AK 47 rifle, pistol, satellite phone, grenades and wireless set were recovered from the scene.
The operation is still continuing.
Thool, who had joined the outfit in 1992 and had trained in terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Khost in Afghanistan, was the oldest surviving terrorist in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said.
He had also served as the security guard of the Hizbul supremo Sayeed Salahuddin in PoK.
Eleven top Hizbul terrorists have been killed in Jammu and Kashmir since January this year.