2 army officers, cop killed in Anantnag: LeT offshoot claims 'revenge killing'

The Resistance Front, considered to be an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the killing of 2 Army officers and a policeman in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag on September 13.

India Today reported that TRF has said that the act was to avenge the killing of their veteran leader in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir earlier in September.

LeT commander Riyaz Ahmed was shot dead inside a mosque in the Rawalakot region of POK on September 8.

Colonel Manpreet Singh, Commanding Officer of 19 Rashtriya Rifles, Major Ashish Dhonack, and Deputy Superintendent Humayun Bhat were critically injured in the gunfight with terrorists that ensued in the Garol area of Anantnag district in the morning hours of Wednesday.

The officers succumbed to their injuries during the treatment, the officials said, adding a jawan also died. The whereabouts of another soldier was not immediately known and it is feared he might have been seriously wounded.

DGP Dilbag Singh condoled the death of the braveheart officers of the police and army. In a message, he said every loss of life is unfortunate and asserted that the perpetrators of the crime would be brought to justice soon.

He extended his sympathies to the bereaved families.

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Bhat, father of a two-month-old daughter and son of retired Inspector General of Jammu and Kashmir Police Ghulam Hasan Bhat, died due to heavy blood loss, they added.

The banned Resistance Front believed to be a shadow group of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Officials believe that it is the same set of terrorists who had carried out the attack on army personnel on August 4 killing three jawans in the higher reaches of the Halan forest area of Kulgam district.

The operation against the terrorists began on Tuesday evening in the Garol area but was called off during the night.

This morning, the hunt for the terrorists resumed after information started trickling that they were spotted at a hideout, the officials said.

Colonel Singh, leading his team from the front, attacked the terrorists. However, he was critically injured in the bullets fired by the terrorists.

Singh, who belonged to the 12th Sikh LI, was a recipient of the Sena medal. Dhonack belonged to the 15th Sikh LI.

Dhonack and Bhat were also hit by bullets resulting in critical injuries, the officials said.

Senior army and police officers, GoC 15 Corps Lt General Rajiv Ghai and including DGP Dilbag Singh rushed to the spot to assess the situation.

(With PTI inputs)

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