Lashkar Commander, 2 Aides Killed In Central Kashmir Encounter

Lateef Rather Was Involved In Killing Rahul Bhat, TV Artist Ambreen: ADGP

Srinagar- A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander, responsible for killing a Kashmiri Pandit employee and a TV artist in May this year, was shot dead by government forces along with his two associates in a fierce encounter in central Kashmir’s Budgam district, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Kashmir zone, Vijay Kumar said Wednesday.

Addressing a news conference here, Kumar said that the operation was launched by police, army and CRPF on the basis of inputs provided by the Special Operations Group (SOG), Srinagar, about the presence of militants in the Muqam area of Waterhal in the district.

He said that the joint team came under heavy fire from the militants when they approached towards the suspected spot. In the retaliatory fire, he said, all the three “terrorists” were killed.

The trio has been identified as LeT commander Lateef Rather @ Abdullah of Badipora village in Chadoora and Saqib Mushtaq Khan and Muzaffar Ahmad Chopan, both residents of Khonmoh area of Srinagar.

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“One of the terrorists was identified as Lateef Rather who was involved in the killing of Rahul Pandit and Ambreen Bhat,” Kumar told reporters.

Rather, he said, was arrested in 2001 soon after he took up arms.

While describing Rather as the right-hand man of killed Pakistani commander Abu Qasim, Kumar said he provided “logistic support to the terrorists” who attacked an Army convoy on 24 June 2013 in which eight soldiers were killed and many left wounded.

“Rather provided shelter to the attackers and dropped them to Hyderpora to attack the Army convoy in his vehicle,” the top police officer said.

Besides, the killed commander was also responsible for plotting, planning and killing of SHO Police Station Chadoora 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,” police said in a handout issued Wednesday evening.

Post his release, the spokesperson said, Rather again started working for LeT/TRF outfit in Srinagar City and joined the “terror folds” in February-2022 and assumed the role as Commander TRF.

“During the year 2022, on the directions of his across border handler Sajjad Gul, killed terrorist Lateef Rather carried out several terror crimes and civilian atrocities including killing of a Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat and an artiste Amreen Bhat in Chadoora area,” he said.

Moreover, the spokesperson said that Rather was also involved in recruiting the gullible youth of Budgam, Pulwama and Srinagar areas to “strengthen the terror folds of proscribed terror outfit TRF in these areas”.

Giving details about Saqib, he said, the killed militant was also involved in several terror crimes including killing of DDC Member Sameer Ahmed Dar and firing on non-local labourers in Nowgam area.

“Besides, terrorist Muzaffar Chopan was recently recruited by terrorist Lateef Rather and was involved in a grenade attack in Khanmoh area,” he said.

The spokesperson further said that incriminating materials including huge cache of arms & ammunition have been recovered from the site of the encounter. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further course of investigation.

“In this regard, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation is into progress. People are requested to cooperate with Police till the area is completely sanitized and cleared off of the explosives, if any,” he added.

30 Kg IED Recovered In Pulwama: Police

Earlier government forces on Wednesday recovered an about 30-kg improvised explosive device (IED) in Tahaba area of Pulwama district of South Kashmir.

The IED was recovered after a specific input generated by police, Vijay Kumar said.

“An IED weighing approx. 25 to 30 Kgs recovered near Tahab Crossing on Circular road in #Pulwama by Police and Security Forces. A major #tragedy has been #averted by specific input generated by Pulwama Police,” the ADGP Kashmir wrote on Twitter.

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