Days after former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti questioned the quick action taken by Jammu and Kashmir Police on recent terrorist attacks in the valley, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Vijay Kumar, suggested that such statements were not befitting of a former chief minister.
In a successful crackdown, J&K police neutralised two LeT terrorists responsible for the murder of TV actor Amreen Bhat within 24 hours of the incident. In a shocking reaction to the development, Mufti had said that it is ‘strange’ that the Jammu and Kashmir police claim to have killed the terrorists responsible within 24 hours.
After meeting family members of the victim, the PDP chief said, “Targeted killing happens and the JKP police take immediate action. Why is this not done before the attack”.
Responding to the PDP chief’s comment, IGP Vijay Kumar said Mufti should know that such a thing has happened in only 5-10 cases when terrorists were nabbed within 24 hours of the event. “However, for the remaining cases, the forces have to do a lot of work. We have to receive a lot of inputs and then work to catch these terrorists”, he added.
Amreen Bhat was shot dead by terrorists on May 25 in the Chadoora area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Her 10-year-old nephew was also injured in the attack. Speaking exclusively to news agency, Zubair Ahmed, Amreen’s brother-in-law stressed that innocent people are killed for doing no wrong.
Providing details of the incident, Zubair Ahmed, brother-in-law of Amreen Bhat, said, “Two people came to her house to call her for a shoot. When she stepped outside the house they killed her”.
Following the murder of Amreen Bhat, security forces killed two Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Awantipora on May 26. The two newly joined Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists were identified as Shahid Mushtaq Bhat, resident of Hafroo Chadoora of Budgam and Farhan Habib, resident of Hakripora of Pulwama.
Informing about the same, J&K IGP Vijay Kumar said, “Both terrorists had killed the TV artist Amreen Bhat on the instruction of LeT Cmdr Lateef. 01 AK 56 rifle, 4 magazines, and a pistol recovered.”
Notably, the two tried to flee the district after killing Bhat but were unsuccessful due to the prompt action taken by J&K police.