Jammu, Dec 20: Police on Thursday claimed that it killed one of the prime accused in Delhi High Court blast case, Chota Hafiz, in an encounter in Kishtwar district.
The encounter took place in Kadrana area of Marwah tehsil, where a joint party of police, army and NIA had launched searches to trace three accused in Delhi blast case.
“Contact with the lone hiding militant was established at around 5:30 PM leading to a gun battle”, Inspector General of Police Dilbagh Singh told Greater Kashmir adding, “The encounter lasted for three hours leading to the death of the militant”.
The slain militant was identified as Shakir Hussain alias Chota Hafiz son of Nazir Ahmed of Dajji Palmar.
He was a close associate of 25-year-old Amir Ali Kamal and Muhammad Shafi alias Sakib, who were killed in a similar encounter earlier this year.
“Chota Hafiz was the prime accused in the Delhi High Court blast,” police sources said adding, “He was a top militant of Hizbul Mujahideen and was on run from past two years”.
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) and the J&K Police had launched several operations in Kishtwar hills, particularly in Marwah, Dachhan area, to track down three Hizb militants—Amir Ali Kamal alias Amir alias Akram, Junaid Akram Malik alias Juni alias Umair and Shakir Hussain Sheikh alias Chota Hafiz alias Adil accused in the Delhi High Court blast.

Lastupdate on : Thu, 20 Dec 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 20 Dec 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 21 Dec 2012 00:00:00 IST