Rahul Bhat's killer among 3 LeT militants neutralised

Srinagar: Three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants, including Lateef Rather who was involved in the killing of Kashmiri Pandit employee Rahul Bhat in May, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, police said.

"All the three hiding LeT #terrorists #neutralised. Bodies being retrieved from the site, identication yet to be ascertained. #Incriminating materials, arms & ammunition recovered. A big success for us," Additional DGP (Kashmir Zone) Vijay Kumar tweeted.

Kumar later said the slain terrorists included Lateef Rather, who was involved in killing of Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat and TV actor Amreen Bhat in May this year.

"#Terrorist Lateef Rather @ Abdullah, killer of Rahul Bhat & Amreen Bhat among the three killed #terrorists. He was involved in several #terror crime cases, including several civilian #killings & #atrocities," Kumar said.

Rahul Bhat was shot dead by militants inside his office at Chadoora while Amreen Bhat was killed by the ultras outside her house in Hushru area of Budgam district.

Earlier, police had said three LeT terrorists were trapped at the encounter site.