LeT trying to find foothold in Srinagar: DGP 18 militants killed in 9 Srinagar gunfights

 Srinagar: Stating that militant outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba has been desperate to create a base in Kashmir capital Srinagar, Jammu Kashmir police chief Dilbah Singh Monday said that 18 militants have been neutralized in 9 encounters in Srinagar city.Singh was addressing a press conference after the culmination Rambagh-Barzulla encounter in which two militants were killed.“We are able to locate and neutralize these militants before they can set up a base in Srinagar,” he said adding that 9 encounters have taken place in Srinagar so for.“LeT has been trying to find foothold in the city. But our network is good and whenever they (militants) try to find foothold in the city, troops are able to local and neutralize them,” Singh as said in response to a question.“We can’t stop militants from coming into the city as we will have to put everyone coming in Srinagar through X-Ray machine which is not possible,” he said.While divulging information about today’s Srinagar encounter, the Director General of Police said a Pakistani national who was a top LeT Commander was among the two slain militants.“The Pakistani militant, identified as Saifullah, was responsible for attack on CRPF at Nowgam in Srinagar last week that left two jawans dead and three others injured,” he said adding that the slain militant Saifullah was also responsible for an attack on CRPF at Chadoora in Central Kashmir’s Budgam in which an Assistant Sub Inspector (ASI) was killed last month.