LeT militant involved in murder of Kashmiri army officer killed

Srinagar, Sep. 2 (IANS): A Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant involved in the abduction and murder of Kashmiri army officer Ummer Fayaz in May this year was killed by security forces on Saturday in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district, officials said.

Police said the LeT militant was identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Padder, a resident of Manchewa Yaripora of Kulgam district.

“On specific inputs, a joint team of Police from Kulgam and 62 Rashtriya Rifles laid an ambush to trap the dreaded LeT militants. The terrorists tried to escape and fired indiscriminately,” an Army official said.

“The fire was retaliated to, during which one terrorist identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Padder, who was associated with the LeT outfit was killed,” the official said.

Army and Police officials confirmed Padder was involved in the murder of Army officer, Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz in May this year.

The 22-year-old unarmed officer, on leave to visit his home in Kulgam, was kidnapped by militants while attending his cousin’s wedding in Batapura village on May 9.

His bullet-riddled body was found the next day in Shopian district.

According to Army officials, Padder was also involved in bank robberies at Kader branches of J&K Bank and Ellaquai Dehati Bank. He was also involved in a firing incident on a Police station in Yaripora.

One AK 47 rifle, two AK 47 magazines, 42 AK 47 rounds and one pouch was recovered from the slain terrorist.