LeT's Naveed Jatt spotted at terrorist's funeral in Shopian, pictures viral on social media

SRINAGAR: Wanted Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terrorist Naveed Jatt was on Saturday spotted at the funeral of a terrorist who was among five killed by the security forces in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

Naveed Jatt, who fled from the police custody earlier this year, is wanted in connection with several cases of attack on the security forces and civilians in Kashmir.

The matter came to light after pictures of Jatt offering a gun salute to slain terrorist Waqar Ahmad Sheikh during his funeral in Shopian made way to the social media and became viral.

Waqar Ahmad Sheikh, who was laid to rest in Malikgund village, was among five LeT terrorists who were gunned down in an overnight encounter with security forces in Shopian district of J&K in which a civilian was also killed and 12 others injured.

All the five terrorists were local residents and identified as Umer Nazir Malik, Waqar Ahmad Sheikh, Aijaz Ahmad Paul, Arshad Ahmad Khan and Arif Ahmad Mir, a police official said.

However, soon after the encounter ended, clashes broke out between protesters and security forces at several places in the district.

A civilian was killed in a firing incident at Ganowpora, while two others sustained injuries, a police official said.

Civilian Bilal Ahmad Khan was hit by a bullet after the funeral prayers of one of the terrorists, who was among the five ultras killed in the gun battle with security forces at Kiloora.

Khan was rushed to a hospital where he succumbed to injuries.

Local residents alleged that he was hit by bullets fired by the Army personnel in response to stone-pelting by protestors.

Defence spokesman Col Rajesh Kalia said the Army troops came under fire from terrorists near Ganowpora orchards.

"Army troops immediately retaliated. In the crossfire, one civilian unfortunately got injured, who later succumbed to the injury," he said.

Naveed Jatt escaped from police custody on February 6 while he was being taken to Shri Maharaja Hari Singh Hospital here for a medical examination. 

Two policemen were killed in a shootout at the hospital.

Jatt is also believed to be involved in 'The Rising Kashmir' editor Shujaat Bukhari's sensational assassination outside his office at Press Enclave on June 14.

Shujaat Bukhari's sensational killing coincided with the kidnapping and brutal killing of Army rifleman Aurangzeb by a group of terrorists, which triggered a massive national outrage.

(With Agency inputs)