In a major success, security forces shot dead three terrorists, including the alleged killer of Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat and woman artist Amreen Bhat, in an encounter in Budgam district on Wednesday, police said.
Additional Director General of Police, Vijay Kumar said Lashkar-e-Taiba’s commander Lateef Rather alias Abdullah was killed along with his two associates in an encounter at the Waterhail area of Budgam.
“The elimination of the terrorist commander is a big success as he was wanted by law for his involvement in several civilian killings,” Kumar told reporters in Srinagar.
“During the year 2022, on the directions of his cross border handler Sajjad Gul, Lateef Rather carried out several terror crimes and civilian atrocities including killing of a Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat and an artist Amreen Bhat in Chadoora area,” he said
Rahul and Amreen were killed within a span of two weeks in May this year. On May 12, Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat was shot dead inside his office at Chadoora Budgam. A lady artist Amreen Bhat, known for her TikTok videos, was shot dead at her home in Budgam district on May 25.
ADGP Kumar said that except one, all militants involved in target killings have been neutralised in different encounters.
“Except LeT’s terrorist Basit Dar of Kulgam who would be either arrested or neutralised in encounter at the earliest, all terrorists involved in target killings have been neutralised in different encounters,” he said.
According to police Lateef was a second time recycled militant and in February 2022 had assumed the role as commander of “The Resistance Front.”
“..As per police records, he was responsible for a Fidayeen attack on June 24, 2013 in Hyderpora area on an Army Convoy in which eight Army Jawans got martyred. Besides, he was also responsible for plotting, planning and killing of SHO Police Station Chadoora Martyr SI Shabir Ahmed in 2013. Subsequently, he was again arrested in 2013. However in November-2021 he got released from Jail,” Kumar said.
Giving details about the operation, a police spokesman said the encounter broke out early Wednesday at Waterhail Budgam.
He said a technical input was generated by Special Operation Group (SOG) Srinagar about the presence of a group of militants in Waterhail. Later a joint cordon and search operation in the said area.
“During the search operation, as the joint party preceded towards the suspected spot the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter. In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) were killed,” the spokesman said.
The slain were identified as Lateef Rather, a resident of Badipora Chadoora Budgam, Saqib Mushtaq Khan and Muzaffar Ahmad Chopan both residents of Khonmoh area of Srinagar.
Incriminating materials including a huge cache of arms & ammunition have been recovered from the site of the encounter, police said.
Meanwhile, security forces averted a major tragedy on Wednesday morning when they recovered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) weighing about 30 Kilos in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir.
The IED was recovered near Tahab crossing on Circular road in Pulwama by Police and Security Forces, police said.
ADGP Kumar said a major tragedy has been averted by specific input generated by Pulwama Police.
“An IED weighing approx. 25 to 30 Kgs recovered near Tahab Crossing on Circular road in Pulwama by Police and Security Forces. A major tragedy has been #averted by specific input generated by Pulwama Police,” ADGP Kashmir Kumar said
Police sources said the IED was found during the road opening drill- by the security forces.
“The IED was later blasted,” official sources said.
