2 militants, 2 civilians die in crossfire in J&K's Anantnag 
Jammu and Kashmir Police has confirmed that two militants, including Lashkar-e-Taiba commander Bashir Lashkari, have been killed in Anantnag following an encounter with security forces on Saturday. Two civilians were also killed and over ten were injured in the crossfire. Lashkari was one of the most wanted Lashkar commanders who carried a bounty of ?10 lakh.
Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police  (DGP) SP Vaid has confirmed that two terrorists have been killed in Anantnag encounter. The police are trying to ascertain the identity of the slain militants.Earlier, two civilians were also killed and over 10 persons were injured in firing during an encounter between security forces and militants in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag. Two militants identified as Bashir Lashkari and Azad Malik were believed to be trapped inside a house that was blasted by Army. Security forces rescued about 17 civilians who were trapped with militants inside a residential complex.  The encounter started at around 6 am. Following the encounter, locals came out in protests and clashed with the forces. According to police, after receiving specific information regarding presence of militants in Birnhi Batpora Dailgam, security forces cordoned off the area in the wee hours.  While the cordon was being laid, some militants outside a house fired upon the security personnel which was retaliated. In the cross firing, a woman sustained injuries and later on succumbed. However, some militants are holed up in the house. "Security forces were fired at when they launched an operation in Batpora village after a tip-off about the militants hiding in a house," the police said in a statement.The statement said, "Some militants are still holed-up in the house. Efforts are ongoing to take out the civilians." "The militants are using the civilians as human shield," it added. Search operations by security forces in Dailgam village are underway. WHO IS BASHIR LASHKARI Hailing from Kokernag area of Anantnag district in south Kashmir Bashir Lashkari crossed to POK in 1999. He returned from POK under state government amnesty scheme announced by Omar Abdullah government in 2012. Lashkari was jailed till 2014 and got reactivate as terrorist in 2015.In a year Bashir has managed to mobilise group of terrorists and  even some Pakistani Lashkar terrorists  are part of this group. Lashkari is the most wanted Lashker Commander with bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head. Lashkari is also responsible for killing of SHO Feroz with other 5 policeman last month. Special police teams were formed to hunt him down after the killing. With inputs from Ashraf WaniALSO READ:Jammu and Kashmir: Collision between Indigo flight, BSF plane averted over BanihalRestrictions in parts of Srinagar against separatists' protest