A Hizbul Mujahideen area commander has been killed while another commander has been arrested along with three other persons in Udhampur and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir since Monday night, official sources said on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, troops launched a search operation in Thuru-Arnas area of Udhampur district early Tuesday, the sources told PTI.

In the ensuing encounter, one top militant, identified as Abu Usman, a self-styled area commander of Hizbul, was killed, they said, adding, that an AK rifle, four grenades, 12 magazines, 390 rounds and one radio set were recovered from him.

Meanwhile, a tehsil commander of the pro-Pakistan Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and two over-ground workers of militants, including a woman, were arrested by security forces in two separate operations in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, defence sources said on Tuesday.

Rashtriya Rifles troopers and police nabbed Hizbul tehsil commander Masood Ahmed alias Zakub of Dadteth-Chatru on Monday evening, the sources said, adding that Masood was active in Palmar tehsil of Doda since 1998.

An over-ground worker of the outfit, identified as Ruhena Bano, was also nabbed during the operation and Rs 2.09 lakh were recovered from the duo, the sources said.

In another operation, a joint task force of the Army and police arrested an over-ground worker of militants Mohammad Bashin (68) at Karaj in Doda district. Two AK magazines and 23 rounds of AK ammunition were recovered from him. Bashin has been handed over to the Kandi police station in the district, the sources said.

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