Abduction & Killing of soldier: One arrested, three others identified: SSP Budgam
Budgam: Police have arrested a militant helper in connection with the abduction and killing of an army soldier in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
While addressing a press conference, SSP Budgam, Tahir Saleem told reporters that an army soldier Sameer Mallah – affiliated with Jammu Kashmir Light Infantry had gone missing from his native Lokipora Khag village.
“The father of the soldier had lodged a missing report stating that Sameer after taking lunch ventured outside and after that, he didn’t return. Police registered a missing report and started investigation.”
SSP Tahir Saleem said that on 10 March, local informed police about a suspected spot where fresh earth had been filled in a pit. “We rushed to the spot and dug the pit. We recovered the body of Sameer Mallah. The missing report was converted into a murder case.”
Also Read: ‘Can’t say my son is missing, says father of Budgam army man
“We got some leads about an overground worker of Lashkar-e-Taiba. The suspect Athar Illahi Sheikh was detained and during sustained questioning, he confessed the crime.”
SSP Budgam said that Athar confessed that he along with 3 LeT militants called the soldier to a field where after putting him to death, buried him in a pit. “We have recovered the spade used to dig the grave. The impressions of soil and spade have been collected and sent to Forensic Lab,” he said adding that three LeT militants involved in this act have been identified.
Also Read: Body of missing soldier spotted in Budgam village
Pertinently, Sameer Malla- a resident of Lokipora in Tehsil Khag of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district was recruited as a driver into J&K Light Infantry in 2017. Police in Srinagar had investigated his role after he allegedly transported the then Major Leetul Gogoi and a local girl to the Srinagar hotel in his private car back in 2018.
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