SP Pani, IGP Kashmir, told media persons that the plan to kill Bukhari was hatched in Pakistan and was executed by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
(Photo: Twitter/@OmarAbdullah)
The Jammu-Kashmir police on Thursday said that Azad Ahmed Malik, Muzaffer Ahmed and Naveed Jatt executed the murder of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari in Srinagar on 14 June. The police also identified the fourth suspect as Sheikh Sajjad Gul against whom there is a lookout notice.
The photos of all four suspects were released.
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SP Pani, IGP Kashmir, told media persons that the plan to kill Bukhari was hatched in Pakistan and was executed by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
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“We have tangible evidence to establish that the planning to kill Bukhari was done in Pakistan. The evidence we have in co-operation of service providers is that the killers belong to Pakistan,” Pani said.
Sajjad, a Sringar resident, was arrested by the police in 2016 after which obtained a passport fraudulently and is said to be in Pakistan.
“We have evidence to prove that Pakistan is involved in the killing of Bukhari,” said Pani.
He said there are two parts to this investigation: The conspiracy and the execution. Before the murder of Bukhari there were malicious online campaigns against him by Kashmirfight.wordpress.com, Facebook account “Kadwa Sach Kashmir” and Twitter handle “Ahmad Khalid”.
“Sajjad is one of the persons who created the blogs and write-ups against Bukhari and there is very strong evidence against him,” Pani said.
Jatt escaped from the SMHS hospital in Srinagar on 6 February and has been active in many terrorism-related incidents.
A preliminary police investigation had on Wednesday revealed the role of Jatt, a top LeT commander and two other accomplices in the killing of Bukhari.
Three motorcycle borne gunmen opened fire on Bukhari, killing him outside his office at Press Enclave in Srinagar. One of his special police officers also died on the spot, while another later succumbed to his injuries in the hospital.
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