Date:06/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/06/stories/2006090603711400.htm

National

Key Hizb militant killed

Staff Reporter

Doda: The Special Task Force of the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday night shot dead one of the most wanted Hizb-ul-Mujahideen militants operating in the hills of Jammu and Kashmir for the last 17 years. The militant identified as Wasim Khan, better known as Billu Gujjar, carried a reward of Rs. 5 lakh on his head and was a `deputy divisional commander' of the outfit in the Doda-Udhampur belt.

Inspector General of Police S.P. Vaid said Billu had come to the Manglogi-Dalwah area of Udhampur district around 10 p.m. to meet his wife. Tipped off about his presence, the STF intercepted him and asked him to surrender but Billu opened fire on the jawans. "The security personnel retaliated in self-defence and shot Billu, who had managed to give the slip to the police, army and paramilitary forces several times in the past several years," said Mr. Vaid.

Security officials of the Doda-Udhampur belt described the killing as an important breakthrough in the counter-militancy operations in the State. Billu Gujjar was behind most of the sensational strikes against the security forces in the Doda-Udhampur belt.

He had led the fatal strike on the Ind police post in which nine policemen were killed on March 17, 2003.

In addition, Billu was involved in the killing of several civilians of the belt who he thought were informers.

Twice in the last 17 years Billu Gujjar had been to PoK. Of late he was engaged in setting up terror modules.