Jammu: Jailed terrorist fires at cop with snatched rifle; shot dead

A jailed Pakistani Lashkar-e-Tayiba terrorist was fatally shot after he snatched the rifle of a policeman and fired at a police team that had taken him to a spot near the International Border to effect weapons recovery, officials said.

Additional director general of police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh said a policeman was also injured in the incident and was hospitalised.

He identified the terrorist as Mohd Ali Hussain alias 'Qasim' alias 'Jehangir' who lodged at the Kot Balwal Jail.

The officer said the terrorist's name surfaced during the investigation of an arms dropping case through drone from Pakistan on February 24 in Arnia sector.

"One accused of Jammu made revelations that the Pakistani prisoner has been instrumental in drone droppings and is the main operative of LeT and Al-Badr terror groups. He was brought before the Court on production from Jail and subsequently police remand was taken," the ADGP said.

He said during sustained questioning, the accused admitted his role in the Arnia weapon dropping case and also disclosed two locations where the arms and ammunition dropped by drone had been concealed.

"In order to recover the weapons, a police team along with a concerned magistrate went to the spot one after the other. Though no recovery was made at the first place, at the second place namely Toph village (near International Border) in Phallian Mandal area a packet of arms, ammunition and explosives was recovered," the ADGP said.

He said when the packet was being opened, the terrorist attacked one of the police officials and snatched his service rifle.

"He fired at the police party and tried to flee from the spot. In retaliation, the accused got injured and was shifted to GMC hospital Jammu along with the injured police official," he said, adding the terrorist later succumbed.

The ADGP said the dropped packet is being scrutinised with the help of bomb disposal squad.