New Delhi, March 23, IRNA -- Top Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul     
Majid Dar was today shot dead by unidentified gunmen at Sopore in     
Jammu and Kashmir, local media reported here on Sunday.               
    Dar, who was at the residence of his brother Fayaz Ahmad at       
Noorbagh in Sopore in Baramulla district, was shot dead by militants  
who barged into the house at 10:30 a.m. (local time) and opened       
indiscriminate fire on the inmates, the official sources said in      
Srinagar.                                                             
    Dar was rushed to a hospital where he was declared brought dead,  
the sources said.                                                     
    His mother Shah Begum and sister Rehana were also injured in the  
firing, they said.                                                    
    Dar, one of the front ranking commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen,    
shot to prominence after he decided to hold talks with the government 
two years ago following a ceasefire.                                  
    As the talks broke down due to internal bickering in the militant 
outfit, Dar parted ways with Hizbul chief Syed Salahuddin and floated 
his own Hizbul Mujahideen.                                            
    No militant outfit has yet claimed responsibility for the killing.
/HM                                                                   
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