4 LeT terrorists killed in J&K, TV artist's murder solved
Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) killed four terrorists overnight in two separate encounters in Srinagar and Pulwama districts, the police said on Friday. The slain terrorists were affiliated with the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). According to security officials, two of them killed in Pulwama were responsible for the killing of TV artist Amreen Bhat in Budgam district two days ago.
- The encounters came as a major success for the security forces a day after Bhat was killed by terrorists in Budgam's Chadoora in central Kashmir.
- LeT is a banned militant outfit believed to be run by Pakistan-based handlers.
- A total of 10 terrorists have been eliminated in three days in the Kashmir Valley, including three from JeM and seven from LeT, police said.
According to the police, the two terrorists killed in Pulwama's Awantipora area were Shahid Mushtaq Bhat of Budgam's Chadoora and Farhan Habib of Hakripora Pulwama's Hakripora. They were involved in the murder of TV artist Bhat on the orders of LeT commander Lateef. The two terrorists killed in Soura Srinagar were Shakir Ahmed Waza and Afreen Aftab Malik, both residents of Shopain's Trenz.
10 #terrorists including 3 from JeM 7 from LeT #terror outfits killed in 3 days in #Kashmir valley. Heinous #murder case of late Ambreen bhat solved in 24 hours: IGP Kashmir@JmuKmrPolice
— Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) May 26, 2022
The security personnel had launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Aganhanzipora area of Awantipora late Thursday, reportedly based on specific information regarding the presence of terrorists. The operation, however, turned into a gunfight after the hiding terrorists shot at security forces. Separately, another encounter broke out in the Soura area of Srinagar city where two LeT terrorists were shot dead, the police said.
On Wednesday evening, Kashmiri TV actress Bhat was killed by three LeT gunmen in Budgam of J&K's Chadoora. Her 10-year-old nephew was also injured in the incident. According to the police, the TV artist's nephew was shot in the arm and is being treated at a hospital in the area.
During the first five months of the year, security forces in Jammu and Kashmir killed 26 foreign terrorists connected with the LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad groups, according to Inspector General of Police (Kashmir Zone) Vijay Kumar. He said that 14 of the killed foreign terrorists were members of Jaish, created by Masood Azhar, and 12 were members of the LeT.
