SRINAGAR: Major S Dahiya, who led the Army operation in Handwara in which three terrorists were killed, succumbed to his injuries late Tuesday evening, a defence spokesman said, adding that earlier in the day, a top Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist was eliminated in Bandipora. Both the encounters took place in North Kashmir The Major belongs to Narnaul in Haryana and is survived by his wife and daughter.The total casualties in the two encounters stood at four soldiers and four Lashkar terrorists. CRPF commanding officer Chetan Kumar, wounded in the Bandipora encounter in which three soldiers too were killed, was airlifted to AIIMS in New Delhi.Top Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist, identified as Abu Haris, was killed in Bandipora but another Pakistani LET terrorist managed to escape due to sympathisers' in Hajin village of the district, disrupting the anti-terror operation in North Kashmir, DGP S P Vaid saidA joint team of Army and special operations group of Kashmir Police cordoned off Parray Mohalla in Hajin village of Bandipora following specific input about the presence of militants in the morning, an intelligence source said. "The forces intensified the search operation in the area, and the militants, one of who turned out to be a Pakistan-based LeT terrorist Abu Haris, fired from the house, triggering an encounter," the source added.

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