LeT member flees during shootout

The nightlong gunfight between security forces and militants here ended on Thursday morning. An ultra, however, managed to escape under the cover of darkness after injuring eight policemen.

A fierce gunfight began in the Ahmad Nagar area on the outskirts of the city on Wednesday night after the security forces cordoned off the area and conducted door-to-door searches. Four policemen, including a sub-inspector, of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were injured in the gunfight, which started around 10 pm on Wednesday.

A local shopkeeper told Deccan Herald that around 6:30 pm on Wednesday, security forces told them to wind up activities for the day. “The search operation started around 7:30 pm. Firing continued through the night and ended before dawn. Around 3:30 am, there were intense firing and a few blasts,” he said. “After that, there was complete silence.”

Sources said top Lashkar-e-Toiba commander Abu Hurirah, who was involved in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, escaped. Senior Superintendent Police (City) Syed Ashiq Hussain Bukhari confirmed that the militant escaped from a house, which was cordoned off, at 3:45 am. “Our men fired at him but he escaped. We are not sure whether he got hit, but he remains untraced. We have called off the operation,” he said.