In a major counter-insurgency operation, security forces shot dead a top-ranking Lashkar-e-Tayyeba (LeT) terrorist and Pakistani national Naveed Jatt — who was accused of killing noted journalist Shujaat Bukhari — in an encounter in Kashmir’s Budgam on Wednesday.
Police chief Dibagh Singh described Jatt’s killing as “major success” for the people and the security forces. Shujaat was killed, along with his two personal guards, in Press Enclave area of Srinagar in June this year.
Jatt had escaped from custody in February after killing two policemen escorting him to a premier hospital from Srinagar’s Central Jail.
Three soldiers were injured in Wednesday gunfight in Chattergam village, situated on the border of Budgam and Pulwama districts. One of Jatt’s accomplices was shot in the encounter, but another aide escaped shortly after security forces lifted the cordon.
Based on a credible input about the presence of terrorists in Kuthpora Chattergam area, police and security forces began a cordon and search operation in the wee hours. As the searches were going on, the search party was fired upon by the hiding terrorists. The fire was retaliated leading to a gunfight.
In the ensuing encounter, two ultras were killed and the bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter.
Police said, “Jatt was born in Multan Pakistan. He was part of Ajmal Kasab’s group at a madrasa in Pakistan where he had undergone arms training. As per police records, in October 2012, Jatt along with his accomplices had crossed over into Kashmir. He had a long history of terror crime since 2012.”
He was involved in killing of an ASI in Pulwama on May 2013, a series of grenade attacks on security forces and was involved in killing of CRPF personnel at Awneera Shopian in August 2013, police said.
“Besides, he was also involved in conspiring and executing several bank robberies and terror attacks in south Kashmir including attack on Court Complex Pulwama on March 2014 in which two policemen were killed, attack on polling party in Shopian on April 2014 in which several civilians sustained injuries and one presiding officer namely Zai-ul-Haq Wani was killed, attack on police party at Bongam Shopian on June 2014,” police said.
Naveed was arrested by police in June 2014 in a dramatic fashion in south Kashmir when he was traveling unarmed and waylaid by informed policemen. However, he managed to escape from the custody on February 6 this year while he was being taken to Srinagar’s SMHS hospital for check-up from Central Jail. He took away a rifle after killing two policemen. Days later he surfaced in south Kashmir with Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo.
Police said Jatt was involved in killing of Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari on June 16.
Police chief Dilbagh Singh said that Jatt’s killing is a reprieve for the public and security forces. “He (Jatt) was involved in a series of crimes including recent killing of youngsters, bank robberies and attacks on policemen and their families,” Singh said at a press conference.
“Jatt is a Pakistani national and following the procedure competent authorities shall be approached in Government of India for taking up the matter with Pakistan for handing over his body to them,” he said.
Asked about progress in Shujaat’s killing case, the DGP said, “Arresting Naveed alive could have helped in getting further details into the case but since Naveed was killed in the gunfight the things were not clear but the investigation is still going on over the assassination of Shujaat Bukhari and the details will be made public once the investigation is completed,” Singh said.
The DGP said that the terrorist recruitment has decreased in last two months indicating to realisation of people on futility of violence.