Two Kashmiris, one Pakistani killed Shujaat Bukhari, says report

The Jammu and Kashmir Police have reportedly identified three persons who killed Rising Kashmir editor Shujaat Bukhari in Srinagar, according to an Indian Express report.

Quoting police sources, the report claims that three militants, including two from South Kashmir and one from Pakistan, killed the senior journalist. It states that the Pakistani militant involved in the attack is Naveed Jatt, who escaped from police custody from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital in February this year. Naveed, a Pakistani national, is associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT).

The report further stated that police have also identified a Pakistan-based blogger who had “started a smear campaign” against Shujaat Bukhari and some other Kashmir based journalists. The blogger is said to be a militant from Srinagar, who is settled in Pakistan.

While police has accused LeT of killing Rising Kashmir editor, Lashkar had denied its complicity in the attack terming it an act of “Indian agencies”.

Police sources say that were able to identify the attackers using both technical and human intelligence, according to the report, which maintained that police are likely to address a press conference to reveal the details about the case.

Earlier, police had arrested a youth who had stolen the pistol from one of the two guards of Shujaat, who were also killed in the attack. The arrested youth, Zubair Qadri, is said to be a druggie, who according to police had no role in the attack.

Shujaat was shot dead on June 14 by militants who came on a bike. The killers were seen on CCTV camera, their faces hidden either by masks or a helmet. The man in the middle appeared to be carrying a sack full of weapons.

Shujaat Bukhari, who was also part of the Track-II diplomatic process with Pakistan was given police protection since an attack on him in 2000. A few days before his death, he had reportedly approached the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for more security.

On Monday, the National Human Right Commission had issued notice to the government of Jammu and Kashmir, calling for a detailed report into the killing of Shujaat Bukhari and his two personal security guards.