SIT produces challan against 5 accused in cop's killing

Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Mar 17: A Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe killing of a top counter-insurgency police officer, Altaf Ahmad, today produced a challan in a Court against five persons including a hardline Hurriyat leader at North Kashmir's Bandipora district. The SIT which is headed by a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) produced the challan against five persons including Showkat Hakeem, Mehraj-ud-Din, Younis, Manzoor Ahmad and Touseef in Sessions Court Bandipora. The tech-savvy counter-insurgency cop, Altaf Ahmad, who had earned sobriquet of 'Latpop', was killed in a shootout while he was chasing the then top Lashkar-e-Toiba Divisional Commander, Abu Qasim, at Bandipora on October 7, 2015. Qasim was killed after Altaf's death in an encounter at Kulgam district of South Kashmir same year. A case under FIR number 23/2013 under Section 302 RPC 7/27 Arms Act, 16/18 Unlawful Activities Act stands registered against the five accused. One of the accused persons, Showkat Hakeem, is associated with Muslim League headed by Masarat Aalam Bhat. The ML is a constituent of Hardline Hurriyat faction headed by Syed Ali Shah Geelani. Another accused, Tauseef, is a militant hailing from Qaimoh area of Kulgam district in South Kashmir but he is still at large. The other accused including Showkat Hakeem have been shifted to Baramulla jail.