Journalism of Courage
One of the four men killed at Shopian in J&K on the day of the Zubin Mehta concert,and who was identified as a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant,was allegedly involved in Hyderpora attack on Indian Army personnel ahead of the Prime Ministers visit to the state in June,sources said.
The four including the LeT militant reportedly shot dead by CRPF at a security check point had Chinese grenades and pistols,an officer said. The locals alleged those killed were civilians and had nothing to do with militant activities.
As curfew continued for the third day in Shopian,MHA sought a report from CRPF on the incident.
While four persons were killed,two managed to escape. Investigators recovered a diary of Ayatollah Bhat alias Khomeni,a LeT commander who is one of the two who escaped after coming under attack by CRPF officers. The other four have been identified as Tausif Ahmad Bhat,Mohammad Yusuf Sofi,Toufiq Ahmad Mir and Adil Ahmad. While Haroon,Bhat,Sofi and Mir were killed,two others escaped.
A senior CRPF officer said that on September 7,when six men on two motorcycles approached one of their security checkposts near Shopian,they were asked by the CRPF personnel for identity cards.
One of the men opened fire at the constable posted at the post forcing us to retaliate. We tried to save the situation and also overpowered one of them. In the meantime,the other pillion rider aimed at us with his pistol but it misfired. Our men were armed with AK-47s,and as they retaliated four men were killed, said a senior officer.
