2 LeT fidayeen, 2 soldiers among 8 killed in J and K

Srinagar, June 15 (UNI) Two fidayeen of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e- Toiba (LeT), on a task to assassinate the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and two soldiers were among eight people killed and eight others wounded in the state overnight.

Superintendent of Police (Operations) Mohammad Irshad said acting on specific information gathered through various interceptions, a hardcore militant, identified as Abu Faisal and a resident of Srinagar, was arrested in the city.

The militant, during sustained interrogation, said a group of 'fidayeen' squad had sneaked into the city to carry out a suicide attack.

The police officer said several vulnerable areas were put to comprehensive security searches.

However, it was only in the wee hours at around 0300 hrs that a police party on foot patrol came under heavy fire from militants at Nowgam, who had taken shelter in a garden. The fire was returned and in the ensuing gunbattle, two militants were neutralised, he added.

However, the SP said a wanted militant, Obaid alias Shahid, was able to escape in a wounded condition amid fierce gunfight.

The slain militants were identified as Abu Tufail and Abu Hafiz, both residents of Pakistan. Two AK rifles, two Pouches and five grenades were seized from their possession, he added.

The local residents also alleged that there was no encounter in the area and the two might have been killed in a ''fake encounter''.

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