Budgam/Srinagar(J&K): The Jammu and Kashmir police said on Tuesday that all the militants, barring one, who were involved in targeted killings of minorities in the Valley have been killed by security forces. ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said that three local militants of the LeT outfit were killed in Budgam today, of them Lateef Rather was involved in the killing of PM package employee Rahul Bhat.
Rahul Bhat was killed at his office in Chadoora in Budgam district earlier this year. "All those militants who were involved in target killings have been killed; only one Basit Dar of Kulgam is alive," Kumar said in a press conference. Earlier today, police killed three local militants in an encounter whom police identified as Lateef Rather, Saqib and Muzaffar.
Kumar said that Lateef was active for a long time and was involved in several attacks on security forces. The ADGP said that only one local militant is active in Srinagar city while others come from other districts and hid in Srinagar. The Jammu and Kashmir police said that all the militants, barring one, who were involved in targeted killings of minorities in the Valley have been killed by security forces.
Earlier in the day, the encounter broke out in Budgam in Jammu and Kashmir between terrorists and security forces, the police said. "Encounter has started at Waterhail area of Budgam. Police and security forces are on the job. Further details shall follow," Kashmir Zone Police had said in a tweet earlier.
Rahul Bhat, who had got the job of a clerk under the special employment package for migrants in 2010-11, was gunned down by terrorists inside the Tehsil office in Chadoora town in Budgam on May 12. Days later, TV artist Amreen Bhat was shot dead by LeT terrorists inside her house in Chadoora.
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Earlier on Sunday, a 'hybrid' militant of the proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) was arrested by the Indian Army's 34 RR unit in the Budgam area. The accused arrested was identified as Arshid Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Sangam Budgam. The arrests were made by a joint team of Srinagar Police and 2RR at Lawaypura. The officials also seized incriminating materials from the arrested including 5 pistols, 5 magazines, and 50 rounds. Two hand grenades were also recovered from the militants.
"Terrorist Lateef is involved in the killings of several civilians, including Rahul Bhat and Amreen Bhat," said ADGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar told the media.
Chadoora Tehsil Office employee Rahul Bhat was shot dead by militants on May 12 in his office while Kashmiri TV actor Amreen Bhat was killed by unidentified terrorists in Budgam's Chadoora area on May 26. Lateef Rather was reportedly involved in both these civilian killings that attracted country-wide attention.
