Srinagar, Nov 28: Two militants were killed and three soldiers injured in a gunfight on Wednesday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Badgam district, police said.
Two CRPF personnel were injured in stone pelting while encounter between security forces and terrorists was underway in Budgam (deferred visuals) #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/woUCaWeIt0
— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2018
A top Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, Naveed Jatt, who was wanted for the murder of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari, was killed in the ginfight.
Budgam Encounter #UPDATE: Naveed Jatt and another terrorist gunned down by security forces. Jatt was involved in the assassination of journalist Shujaat Bukhari #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/lWcLJwOCFp
— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2018
Although an official confirmation was still awaited, the sources said that Jatt, alias Abu Hanzullah, was among the two militants killed in the gunfight that broke out earlier in the day during a cordon and search operation in Kuthpora village.
A Pakistani national belonging to Multan, Jatt, had escaped from police custody on February 6, when he was being taken for a medical check-up to a hospital from the Srinagar Central Jail.
Two policeman were also killed during Jatt’s escape from the S.M.H.S. hospital here.
Jatt was among the top LeT militants wanted by the security forces.
He is believed to be involved in the murder of Bukhari, the then Editor-in-chief of Rising Kashmir, an English daily.
Bukhari was gunned down along with two of his guards in the Press Enclave area in the city on June 14.
Meanwhile, the security forces had started a cordon and search operation in Kuthpora village after receiving specific information about militant presence.
As the search party was closing on the hiding militants they fired triggering an encounter. The identity of the slain militants were yet to be ascertained, a police officer said.
Authorities have suspended mobile Internet services in Badgam and Pulwama districts.
With IANS Inputs
