This is the second major casualty effected on the militants since yesterday, when the Army had gunned down another top `commander' belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), when he made an attempt to cross over to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) from the Mendhar sector.

Defence sources said that, based on the authority letter issued by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and corroborated by the local people, it was certain that the slain militant was Sher Khan. Army officials claimed that this killing had given a major setback to the militancy in Rajouri and Udhampur districts, as Sher Khan was believed to be coordinating the militants' activities in these areas.

According to the ISI authority letter, seized bythe Army, Sher Khan was appointed as district commander for the Pir Panjal range on August 9, 1998 and since then, had carried out a large number of subversive activities including rape, extortion and innocent killings, such as the murder of a 19-year old girl in the district. Defence sources said that on numerous occasions, Sher Khan had managed to evade the trap of security forces, the recent being the encounters at Harian and Saikri in Rajouri district.Defence sources said success was achieved following relentless tracking down of the group of militants led by Sher Khan. Search operations were continuing in the area.