Sajad Ahmad Bhat, the Jaish-e-Muhammad militant whose Maruti Eeco car was used in the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF troopers on 14 February, was eliminated in a gunfight on Tuesday, 18 June, in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district.
The incident took place after police received credible inputs, following which a cordon and search operation was launched.
Speaking to the news agency ANI, J&K Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbag said that along with Sajad, another JeM militant, Tawseef Bhat, who is believed to be the handler of the Pulwama suicide bomber was neutralised during the encounter.
Police also told IANS that an officer also lost his life during the gun battle.
“Sajad Ahmad Bhat alias Afzal Guru had joined militancy days before the Pulwama terror attack. He belonged to Marhama village in Anantnag,” police told IANS.
Maruti Eeco Used in Pulwama Terror Attack
Nearly 10 days after the Pulwama attack, sources had told The Quint that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had identified the Maruti Eeco used in the terror attack.
The vehicle, with chassis number MA3ERLF1SOO183735 and engine number MA3ERLF1SOO183735, was used to bomb the CRPF convoy.
Sources had further revealed that the vehicle was exchanged seven times before finally reaching Bhat.
Days after the attack, Bhat had vanished from his home in south Kashmir and was later seen in a social media post on 25 February – which showed him holding a pistol in one hand and an AK-47 in the other, with the message that he had signed up for the fidayeen (suicide) squad of the JeM terrorist outfit.
Moreover, on 23 February, the NIA had conducted a raid at Bhat’s house with the help of the Jammu and Kashmir police.
“However, he was not present in his house and has been evading arrest since then,” NIA had said in a statement.
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