J&K: Police file chargesheet against LeT terrorists for killing soldier in Budgam

Police on Monday filed a chargesheet against five persons, including four Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists, in a case related to the murder of an army man in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year.

"Police today produced a chargesheet against following five accused persons in a case of terror incident in which one army man on leave was abducted and murdered at Lokipora Khag in Budgam," a police spokesman said.

Those named in the chargesheet included three terrorists who were killed in an encounter with security forces a month after the soldier's murder. While one overground worker (OGW) of the terrorists is in jail, the other accused -- a Pakistani terrorist who goes by aliases Ghazi Bhai, Pathan and Usman Bhai -- is at large.

According to the chargesheet, at around 21:30 hours on March 7, 2022, Khag police station received a missing complaint of an in-service army soldier Mohammad Sameer Malla, who was on leave.

"After three days on March 10, upon specific information, body of the missing army man was recovered. The victim was found buried in a ditch in fields of Labran Khag village," the spokesman said.

During the course of investigation, OGW Ather Illahi Sheikh was apprehended. Sheikh admitted that he along with other four terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba abducted Malla on March 7 and tortured him which resulted in his death, the spokesman said.

"During searches, three terrorists involved in the said crime were killed in anti- terror operation in village Malwa Kunzar on April 21-22, 2022 while one accused -- @Ghazi Bhai @Pathan -- a Pakistan-origin terrorist is still at large," he added.