Baramulla, Feb 27: Police today said a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant, believed to be from Pakistan, who was injured in a gunfight with government forces in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district yesterday, has succumbed to injuries.
“There was exchange of fire between the militants and the government forces in Bon Mollah village of Hajin in Bandipora district yesterday. After the firing stopped, a search was conducted, but no dead body was recovered,” a police spokesman said today.
Later, it was learnt that one LeT militant was injured in the encounter and this morning police came to know about the death of the said militant, he said.
“Since the body was already in the village, a request was made to the villagers to handover the body to police,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the body was buried amidst a procession led by some people, he said.
The police are ascertaining the identity of the militant who is understood to be not a local, the spokesman said, adding “necessary legal action has also been initiated against the people who led the protest and instigated the public.”
Meanwhile, complete shutdown was observed in Hajin and adjoining areas today against the militant’s killing.
A witness said that all shops, business establishments and educational institutions remained shut in Hajin to mourn the death of a militant.
Authorities on Tuesday suspended the mobile Internet service in the entire district in view of the militant’s killing.
Sources said that a non-local militant identified as Abu Harris, a Pakistani national, was injured yesterday during a brief gunfight and succumbed later.
Confirming the identity of the slain militant and his affiliation with LeT, outfit’s chief Mahmood Shah, in a tele-statement to various newspaper offices, has paid tributes to Abu Haris, and said that “the journey of endless sacrifices will continue until last of the blood”.
Mahmood Shah also praised the people of Hajin for their “unmatched love and support,” saying that “such people are scarce in the history of freedom movements”.
