Srinagar, May 13: Two recently “infiltrated” foreign militants of Lashker-e-Toiba were killed in an encounter with Police and Army’s 13RR at Brar Aragam area of Bandipora. The duo had escaped from recent anti-militancy operation at Salender Forest area of the north Kashmir, police said.

“Police was tracking a local LeT (militant) namely Lateef Rather alias Osama who was involved in (militant) incidents in Srinagar and Budgam from last two months,” a police spokesperson said in a statement. “A week ago movement of Lateef Rather was confirmed in Salindar area of Bandipora where he had gone to receive a fresh infiltrated group of (militants) of LeT outfit,” he said, adding, “The presence/ movement of these (militants) was zeroed and shared with the Bandipora police and accordingly an operation was launched on May 11, resulting in elimination of a local (militant) identified as Gulzar Ahmed Ganaie of district Baramulla.”

While as the other militants managed to escape from the said encounter site, he said. However, he said, Police team kept following the footprints of escaped militants whose presence was confirmed technically in Chadoora area of Budgam, where militant incident took place yesterday on May 12. “Thereafter their footprints were again confirmed in Brar, Aragam area of Bandipora today on May 13,” the spokesperson said, adding, “Accordingly the information was shared with the police Bandipora and operation was launched by them along with 13RR resulting into elimination of two foreign (militants) of LeT outfit  identified as Faisal alias Sikander alias Mohsin of Pakistan and Ukasha  resident of Pakistan”. While the hunt for Lateef Rather alias Osama is on, he said.

“IGP Kashmir congratulated joint team of Police/SF for tracking down said foreign (militants) who had recently escaped during an encounter and whose presence was technically confirmed yesterday at (militant) incident site at Chadoora which confirmed their involvement in killing of Rahul Bhat and said that Lateef Rather alias Osama will be tracked down soon as the hunt for him is vigorously on.”

In this regard, he said, a case under relevant sections of law has been registered and investigation has been initiated.