The divisional commander of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba, who allegedly masterminded the massacre of 31 Hindus in the Kulhand belt last year, was killed along with his wife in a fierce gun-battle with Army troops in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir [Images] on Wednesday.

The bodies of Shabir Ahmed Ittoo alias Abdul Yaseer and Shamreena Bano were recovered from the site of encounter that began when the duo, on being asked to surrender, opened fire on the armymen.

The Madras Unit of 8 Rashtriya Rifles and the police had surrounded their hideout during a joint cordon-and-search operation in Handipora village in the Gondna belt of Doda after being tipped off by intelligence agencies, defence spokesman Lt Col S D Goswami said.

The encounter lasted over one-and-a-half hours.

An AK rifle, one pistol and a large quantity of ammunition and explosives were recovered from the hideout.

Yaseer, who was commander of the Chenab valley division of the LeT, had been instrumental in the killing of 31 Hindus in Kulhand village in Doda district on May 1, 2007, Goswami said.

He was a resident of Gondana village, and after being trained in Pakistan, was active in the Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban-Gool belt of Jammu region for the past six years.

Shamreena, who was a known overground worker, had married Yaseer and was living with him since her release from a joint interrogation centre three months ago.