File Photo Photograph:( IANS )

Jammu and Kashmir Police has gunned down 7 terrorists in last 24 hours. Three of them were Pakistani. Three anti-terror operations were carried out in North and South Kashmir in last 24 hours. The first operation took place in Kupwara district of North Kashmir, 4 terrorists were killed in that operation. The second operation took place in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district where 2 terrorists were killed. Third operation took place in Pulwama district where one terrorist was killed.

“Kupwara police arrested terrorist Shaukat Ahmed Sheikh, a resident of Shopian yesterday. After his interrogation he revealed that Pakistani terrorists were hiding in the Lolab area, he was taken to the place where four terrorists were hiding and in the encounter 3 Pakistani terrorists and Shaukat were killed in the operation,” said Inspector General Police, Vijay Kumar.

All the terrorists killed in Kupwara encounter were associated with the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

“An operation was carried out in Pulwama in the night in which a local terrorist was killed who belonged to Lashkar,” said Vijay Kumar, IG Kashmir.

In the third operation in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, two terrorists belonging to Jaish and LeT were killed in the encounter.

“Two terrorists have been killed in Kulgam operation so far, one of them Zakir was associated with Jaish while the other terrorist was with the LeT. The operation continues,” said Kumar.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said that 6 terrorists out of the 7 killed belonged to Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit while 1 to Jaish-e-Mohammed.

This year, security forces in the valley have killed 114 terrorists so far. 33 among them were foreigners, mostly Pakistani. There have been 19 civilian deaths in the valley this year and 16 security personnel have also have lost their lives.

Police say that 52 terrorists were killed till this time last year. This year, the number has increased more than twofold.

This year, Jammu and Kashmir Police has also arrested 46 active terrorists and 189 over-the-ground workers.