On a tip-off: Militant wanted for allegedly beheading SP gunned down

Ikram was said to have been an informant for the forces before turning to the other side.

PESHAWAR:

A wanted militant was killed in Ghaziabad, Mattani in an operation conducted by officials of the army and police on Wednesday afternoon.

The operation was conducted after an intelligence tip-off was received about the presence of a militant, identified as Ikram, a resident of Mohalla Tokar Khel, Mattani. It is said Ikram’s family is currently living in Ghaziabad.

“We had received information about the presence of militants at the house after which it was raided immediately,” an army official told The Express Tribune.

He said the militant was asked to surrender but instead Ikram lobbed a hand grenade at the troops, leaving two of them injured.

“In the gun battle that followed, which lasted for about half an hour, the militant was killed. His body has been taken into possession,” he said. Both the injured army officials were shifted to the Combined Military Hospital where their condition was said to be stable.

“Two grenades and an AK-47 was been recovered from the militant’s possession who was wanted by the police for beheading SP Rural Khurshid Khan,” said an official of the Mattani police station.

The SP was killed in a brazen assault by militants at a police check post in Ghaziabad in October 2012 in which at least six police and Frontier Constabulary officials were killed and over a dozen injured.

“The slain militant played both sides and cooperated with the Bazid Khel Aman Lashkar and the police. He also had links with the Taliban in Adezai and Darra Adam Khel,” said the police official. Almost two years ago, the militant openly joined the other side after which police and security forces were after him, added the official.

“We have arrested six people in a subsequent door-to-door search operation. They will be interrogated and released if found innocent,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 22^nd, 2014.