Srinagar: 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 of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.
They said Lashkar-e-Taiba's Lateef Rather and his two associates were killed in an encounter at the Waterhail area of Budgam.
"Rather was involved in several civilian killings including that of Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat and woman artist Amreen Bhat," a security official said.
Rahul and Amreen were killed in a span of two weeks in May this year. On May 12, a 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.
The encounter broke out early Wednesday at Waterhail Budgam during a cordon and a search operation which was launched by a joint team following an input regarding presence of militants.
Police said during the search operation as the presence of militants got ascertained, they fired indiscriminately upon the search party which was retaliated leading to an encounter.
“In the encounter that continued for many hours three hiding terrorists were killed,” he said.
The police, however, did not disclose the identities of the slain.
Additional Director General of Police, Vijay Kumar termed the killing of three LeT militants as a big success.
He said the bodies are being retrieved from the site.
Kumar said, identification of the slain is yet to be ascertained.
Earlier in the day, ADGP Kumar had said three terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba’s shadow group 'The Resistance Front' were trapped in an encounter.
He said one of the trapped militants was Lateef Rathar, accused of several civilian killings including that of Rahul Bhat and Amreen Bhat. (UNI)