Srinagar: A wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Lateef was among three terrorists killed in a day-long encounter in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Kashmir, Vijay Kumar said.
He termed it a big success and said that the terrorists involved in the targeted killings, except one terrorist, had been killed in different gunfights.
The killed terrorists have been identified as Lateef Rather alias Abdullah (top commander) of Badipora Chadoora area of Budgam and Saqib Mushtaq Khan and Muzaffar Ahmad Chopan, both residents of Khonmoh area of Srinagar.
The gunfight broke out in the Waterhall area of Budgam early Wednesday after acting on a technical input generated by SOG Srinagar about the presence of a group of terrorists in the area.
The area was cordoned off by Police along with 62 RR of the Army and 79 Bn CRPF.
Police said that during the search operation as the joint party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the terrorists fired indiscriminately at the search party which was retaliated effectively, leading to a gunfight.
In the ensuing gunfight, three terrorists of LeT (TRF) were killed and their bodies retrieved from the site of the gunfight.
As per the Police records, all the killed terrorists were part of a group involved in several terror crime cases including civilian atrocities.
The killed terrorist Lateef Rather alias Abdullah Bhai was a second-time recycled terrorist of the LeT (TRF) outfit as he was apprehended by Police in a terror crime case in 2001.
Post his release from jail in 2013, he again joined the LeT outfit and started operating as a close associate of top LeT Commander Abu Qasim (a Pakistani national).
As per the Police records, he was responsible for a Fidayeen attack on June 24, 2013, in the Hyderpora area on an Army convoy in which eight Army soldiers were killed.
Besides, he was also responsible for plotting, planning, and killing of SHO Police Station Chadoora, SI Shabir Ahmad in the year 2013.
He was again arrested by Police in 2013 and prosecuted for his involvement in several terror crime cases, however, in November 2021 he was released.
Post his release, he again started working for the LeT (TRF) outfit in Srinagar City and joined the terror folds in February 2022, and assumed the role of Commander TRF.
In the year 2022, on the directions of his cross-border handler Sajjad Gul, killed terrorist Lateef Rather carried out several terror crimes and civilian atrocities including the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat and an artist Amreen Bhat in Chadoora.
He was also involved in recruiting the youth of Budgam, Pulwama, and Srinagar areas to strengthen the terror folds of TRF in these areas.
The other killed terrorist, Saqib Mushtaq was also involved in several terror crimes including the killing of District Development Council (DDC) member Sameer Ahmad Dar and firing at non-local labourers in Nowgam.
Terrorist Muzaffar Chopan was recently recruited by terrorist Lateef Rather and was involved in a grenade attack in the Khanmoh area.
ADGP Kashmir, Vijay Kumar appreciated the joint teams of Police and security forces for carrying out the operation in a professional manner without any collateral damage and eliminating the group of terrorists including wanted terrorist Lateef Rather.
He also termed the elimination of the terrorist commander as a big success as he was wanted by law for his involvement in several civilian killings.
Kumar said that all the terrorists involved in target killings had been killed in various gunfights except LeT terrorist Bashir Dar of Kulgam who would either be arrested or killed in a gunfight at the earliest.
Incriminating material including a huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the site of the gunfight.