J&K: LeT militant behind attack in Sopore killed

New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have identified the terrorist gunned down on Wednesday as the one responsible for attacking a Sopore fruit trader’s family last week in which a three-year-old girl had also been injured.

The militant, identified as Asif Maqbool Bhat of the proscribed Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-Taiba (LeT), was killed in a brief shootout with the police in Sopore.

“The terrorist has been identified as Asif Maqbool Bhat of LeT. He was responsible for a recent shootout and injuries to three family members of a fruit trader of Sopore. The injured also included a young girl. Was also responsible for shooting at migrant labourer Shafi Alam at Sopore,” tweeted Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The three-year-old girl, Asma, whose father is a fruit trader, had been injured when militants opened fire at her house in Dangerpora area of Sopore last week. The militants had also attacked a migrant labourer from Bihar, Shafi Alam, who had sustained gunshot wounds on his shoulder and neck.

On September 9, Jammu and Kashmir Police along with the Army and other security forces including the Central Reserve Police Force had arrested eight militants from the Sopore region after busting a terror module of the LeT.

Javaid Iqbal, SSP of Sopore district, said the men had hatched a conspiracy to print posters threatening locals from venturing out of their homes, either for trade, travel, schools or offices. They used to distribute these posters for circulation in local villages.

Updated on: Sep 11, 2019 at 12:31 IST  |  Published on: Sep 11, 2019 at 11:22 IST

IANS