Wanted for KP staffer's killing, ultra shot dead

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, August 10

In a major success for the security forces, a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant, accused of killing Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat, was among three ultras gunned down in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district today, the police said.

The security forces had launched a cordon-and-search operation at Watirhall in Khansahib area of the district following inputs about the presence of terrorists, an official said, adding the search turned into an encounter after the militants opened fire. On May 12, militants had killed Bhat, a government employee, inside his office at Chadoora in Budgam. The killing had triggered massive protests by the Kashmiri Pandits. Several thousand KPs migrated to Jammu amid the spate of targeted civilian killings. They continue to protest even today, seeking relocation to safer places in Jammu.

A day after Bhat’s killing, the police had said both the foreign-descent militants were shot dead in Bandipora. The two were assisted by local militant Lateef Rather, who was killed today in Budgam, the police said.

“All the three hiding LeT terrorists neutralised. Incriminating material, arms and ammunition recovered. A big success for us,” ADGP Vijay Kumar tweeted.

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