Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM) ‘commander’ Sajjad Afghani was killed in the encounter in south Kashmir’s Shopian, as the operation continued for the third day on Monday.

“I congratulate the Shopian police and security forces for eliminating JeM ‘commander’ Sajjad Afghani in the Shopian encounter,” Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said.

Afghani is the second militant to be killed in the three-day-long operation.

Afghani and a local associate, who was killed on Sunday, were encircled by the security forces on Saturday evening at Shopian’s Rawalpora area.

Though the gunfight stopped on Sunday morning, fresh firing resumed on Monday morning as the security forces were carrying out a combing operation of the area, officials said.

A joint team of the police, the Army’s 34 RR and the CRPF is carrying out the operation.

At least three houses were damaged during the operation, according to the police. One youth was injured in the clashes that broke out near the encounter site on Sunday.

The Internet services remain suspended in Shopian for the third consecutive day on Monday.