A jailed Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist snatched the rifle of a policeman and opened fire on a police team on Wednesday when he was taken to a spot near the International Border to recover weapons that were dropped by a drone earlier this year. The terrorist, Mohd Ali Hussain alias 'Qasim' alias 'Jehangir', was fatally shot in retaliation by police and later succumbed, PTI reported.
Additional Director General of Police, Jammu zone, Mukesh Singh said a policeman was also injured in the incident and was hospitalised.
Mukesh Singh said Hussain was lodged at the Kot Balwal Jail. The terrorist's name surfaced while police were investigating 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," PTI quoted the ADGP as saying.
Singh said that after sustained questioning, the terrorist admitted to his role in the Arnia weapon dropping case. The terrorist also revealed two locations where the arms and ammunition were 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 further said.
However, 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 arms packet would be scrutinised with the help of Bomb disposal squad.