Srinagar, March 30 : The security forces shot dead two Lashkar-e-Toiba militants in a midnight encounter in Srinagar, officials said here on Wednesday. The slain persons were identified as Rayees Ahmad Bhat and Hilal Ahmad Rah, both residents of Bijbehara Anantnag. Rayees was a former journalist, who had joined the militant organisation in August last year, police said, adding that he was carrying a journalist card. Officials said a joint cordon and search operation (CASO) was launched by the Police and CRPF at Rainawari area of old Srinagar at around midnight, following an input about the presence of militants. “During search operation, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately, which was retaliated effectively, leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, two terrorists were killed,” a police spokesman said. “The two were linked with the proscribed terror outfit LeT,” he added. “Rayees was earlier working as a journalist and was running online news portal ‘Valley News Service’ in Anantnag. He had joined terrorist ranks in year 2021 and was wanted by law in cases related to terror crime,” said the spokesman. Incidentally, VNS is an unknown news portal. Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Vijay Kumar said the duo was planning to attack soft targets in Srinagar. “The timely action on our part led to the neutralisation of both the terrorists,” Kumar told reporters in Srinagar after the gunfight. On the overall security situation, he said the number of militants operating in Kashmir Valley has fallen, as compared to the last many years. “We are intensifying the operations to make the valley terror-free,” he added. Kumar said the Jammu and Kashmir police is trying hard to bring the misguided youth, who have joined terrorist ranks, back to their normal life with the help of their family members and respectable citizens. “I appeal to all misguided youth, who have joined the terror folds, to shun the path of violence and return to the mainstream and contribute in nation-building,” he added. Kumar alleged that Pakistan and some journalists were misusing the social media. MJR RJ