Red Fort breach -- Police kill `Lashkar militant'

Red Fort breach -- Police kill `Lashkar militant'
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

NEW DELHI DECEMBER 26: In what was officially claimed to be a dramatic breakthrough, Delhi Police today shot dead Abu Shamal, one of the six Lashkar-e-Toiba militants said to be responsible for Friday's attack inside Red Fort, in an encounter in south Delhi. While Ashfaq, the alleged mastermind behind the attack, has been arrested, the police said four others managed to flee.

A team of Special Cell officials, led by ACP Rajbir Singh of Delhi Police, swooped down on a flat in a three-storeyed residential building in the congested (Muslim-dominated) Batla House area of Okhla village and shot dead Shamal (in early 20s) in an encounter which lasted for about 20 minutes.

Special commissioner of Police R.K. Sharma said the police opened fire in retaliation. More than 20 rounds were fired from both sides, the police said.

The police claimed to be acting on information given by Ashfaq. He, along with his wife, had been arrested last night from an east Delhi flat (308 A Junta Flats, Ghazipur Dairy) and interrogated.

Ashfaq, a Pakistani national who, the police said, had sneaked into the country through Kupwara, revealed that five militants -- Abu Shamal, Abu Sadd, Abu Sakhar, Bilal Haider -- besides him were responsible for the Red Fort attack, the police said.

He had along with the others had watched and studied the Red Fort premises. On Friday, all six entered the Fort for watching the one-hour light and sound show which starts at 7.30 p.m. They managed to smuggle in weapons by hiding them under their jackets, Sharma said. The police said after the show, Abu Shamal and Abu Saad stayed inside the Fort while the rest came out from Lahore Gate in the darkness. Then both of them sneaked into the Army area and launched the attack, Sharma said. They then climbed down the eastern wall, dumped their weapon and fled in an auto.

The police today claimed that behind the Red Fort wall, an AK-56 rifle, four hand-grenades, six magazines and a knife had been found. They claimed these items were hidden in a marshy area and were located after specific information was received.

Sharma said Ashfaq's interrogation revealed that he had settled down in Delhi in May this year and married an Indian, Rehmana, to prevent suspicion.He was running a computer centre, Knowledge Plus, at Gafoor Market in Okhla. This was a facade for carrying out subversive activities in the Capital, the police alleged, saying his wife knew of this.

``The police had launched a massive manhunt in co-ordination with Central intelligence agencies and the local police. On the basis of the inputs thus developed, Ashfaq was arrested,'' Sharma said.

Ashfaq allegedly revealed that one of the militants responsible for the Red Fort assault was hiding in a flat in the south Delhi area. The team had gone to the area past midnight with Ashfaq for identifying the house. Four spotters were also deployed to keep an eye on the flat. As soon as Abu Shamal reached his flat early this morning, the Special Cell sharpshooters were pressed into service.

The densely-populated lane was blocked from both sides and the sharpshooters surrounded the flat. When they knocked on the gate, said the police, the militant started firing and the police fired back, killing him.

One AK-56 rifle, along with magazines, 28 spent cartridges, 30 live cartridges, two hand-grenades, some police and Army uniforms and some documents were found in the flat, the police said, adding that a manhunt has been launched at airports and railway stations to the others who are on the run.