cting on a technical input generated by SOG Srinagar about the presence of a group of terrorists in the Waterhail area of Budgam, Budgam Police, along with 62RR and 79Bn CRPF, launched a joint cordon and search operation in the said area.
During the search operation, as the joint party proceeded towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the search party, which was retaliated against effectively, leading to an encounter.
In the ensuing encounter, three terrorists of proscribed terror outfit LeT (TRF) were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of the encounter. The killed terrorists have been identified as Lateef Rather ( Top Commander), a resident of the Badipora Chadoora area of Budgam, Saqib Mushtaq Khan and Muzaffar Ahmad Chopan, both residents of the Khonmoh area of Srinagar.
As per 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, was a second-time recycled terrorist of the LeT/TRF outfit as he was apprehended by police in a terror crime case in 2001. After 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( Pakistani) . As per 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 Jawans were martyred. Besides, he was also responsible for plotting, planning and killing of SHO PS Chadoora Martyr SI Shabir Ahmed in the year 2013.
Subsequently, he was again arrested by Police in 2013 and prosecuted for his involvement in several terror crime case; however in November-2021 he got released from Jail . He again started working for the LeT/TRF outfit in Srinagar City and joined the terror folds in February-2022 and assumed the role as Commander TRF. On the orders of his cross-border handler, Sajjad Gul, killed terrorist Lateef Rather, who carried out several terror crimes and civilian atrocities, including the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit employee, Rahul Bhat, and an artiste, Amreen Bhat, in the Chadoora area.
Moreover, he was also involved in recruiting the gullible youth of the Budgam/Pulwama/Srinagar areas to strengthen the terror folds of proscribed terror outfit TRF in these areas.
The other killed terrorist, Saqib Mushtaq, was also involved in several terror crimes, including the killing of DDC Member Sameer Ahmed Dar and firing on non-local labourers in the Nowgam area. Besides, terrorist Muzaffar Chopan was recently recruited by terrorist Lateef Rather and was involved in a grenade attack in the Khanmoh area.
ADGP Kashmir Shri Vijay Kumar appreciated the joint teams of police and SF 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 described the elimination of the terrorist commander as a major success, citing his involvement in several civilian killings.ADGP Kashmir also shared that all terrorists involved in target killings have been neutralised in different encounters except LeT terrorist Bashit Dar of Kulgam, who would be either arrested or neutralised in an encounter at the earliest.
Incriminating materials, including a huge cache of arms and ammunition, have been recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation is in progress. People are requested to cooperate with the police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of explosives, if any.