Terrorists behind Lt. Ummer Fayaz's killing gunned down

Commander of the Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lieutenant General AK Bhatt on Sunday said two terrorists responsible for killing Indian Army Lieutenant Ummer Fayaz when he was visiting his family on a holiday had been eliminated in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian district.

Addressing a joint press briefing with Jammu and Kashmir Police chief S.P. Vaid, Bhatt said, "Out of the seven terrorists killed, two terrorists were involved in the killing of Indian Army Lt Ummer Fayaz."

"Among the militants killed are Ishfaq Malik and Rayees Thokar. They were responsible for his death," Bhatt added.

He further appealed the youth not to get lured by weapons and added, "Anybody who uses weapons will be dealt with in the same manner we dealt with the terrorists today."

Speaking to ANI, Bhatt also praised the security forces on the ground for their work.

"Excellent synergy has developed between the police, the Army, the CRFP and the troops on the ground. We had been looking for the terrorists who killed Lt Ummer Fayaz, today we neutralised them. All terrorists killed today were locals," he said.

On May 11, a bullet-riddled body of Lieutenant Fayaz was found in Shopian district of south Kashmir hours after he was abducted by militants from a wedding procession.

Lieutenant Fayaz, was posted with 2 Rajputana Rifles and had applied for leave to attend a cousin's wedding in Shopian.

The autopsy report showed marks on his body, indicating that the officer had resisted the suspected militants who had abducted him.

He was fired at from a close range, and the bullets had hit his head and stomach or chest region. Locals said two masked men entered the house at 8 p.m. The men asked Lt Fayaz, who was unarmed, to accompany them, and warned the family not to inform the police.