The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Wednesday initiated the process of attaching the house of a terrorist who killed a Kashmiri Pandit in Shopian, while his father and three brothers were arrested for sheltering him.
Police said Adil Wani killed Sunil Kumar Bhat in an orchard in a Shopian village on Tuesday and later took shelter at his home in Kutpora.
Sunil Kumar Bhat and Pintoo Kumar Bhat, the victims, were brothers from the village of Chotigam. They came under attack in an apple orchard in the Shopian neighbourhood of Chotipora on Tuesday.
The security forces launched a cordon and search operation but Wani, a categorised terrorist of the banned Al-Badr outfit, fled in the cover of darkness after hurling grenades at the approaching police party, they said.
During the search operation, police also recovered arms and ammunition from Wani's house, prompting the authorities to place his father and three brothers under arrest besides initiating the process of attaching their house.
Can police attach militants' property?
Earlier this year, the Jammu and Kashmir Police had announced that it would start the process of "attachment of some immovable properties which have been used for purpose of terrorism as per section 2(g) and 25 of ULP Act (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act)" and asked people not to shelter or harbour terrorists/terror associates.
Under this provision, all kinds of properties that have been derived or obtained from the commission of any terrorist act or intended to be used for a terrorist act can be seized.
Sunil Kumar's killing
Wani was identified by eyewitnesses and Sunil Kumar's cousin as the person who fired indiscriminately at him and his brother while they were working in the apple orchard on Tuesday.
Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot 'Kashmir Freedom Fighters' claimed responsibility for the Shopian attack in which two Kashmiri Pandit orchard workers were targeted.
They issued a statement just a few hours after Sunil Kumar Bhat was shot dead while his brother sustained bullet injuries .
They said the Kashmiri Pandit brothers had been targeted for encouraging people to take part in the Tiranga rallies.
(With inputs from PTI)
