Encounter in Delhi: 2 killed, 1 arrested

Two Indian Mujahideen militants have been killed in a fresh encounter on Friday morning in Jamia Qila area of South District in New Delhi, while one has been arrested. The two militants, however, managed to escape.

Joint Commissioner of the Special Cell, Karnail Singh said, "There were a total of five terrorist at L-18, Batla House. Two have been shot dead, one has been arrested, while two managed to escape."

The incident occurred when a Special Cell of the Delhi Police acting on the tip off from Abu Bashir, the mastermind of Ahmedabad blasts, who was brought to Delhi yesterday for interrogation, reached the area in the look out for Atiq. Atiq is the key associate of Tauqeer, who is believed to be behind the Ahmedabad blasts and the alleged mastermind behind Delhi blasts.

During raids in search of the militants the police were fired upon from Batla House in Jamia Nagar. Soon about 150 additional policemen cordoned off the area and senior officials reached the spot.

Two terrorists killed in the gunbattle have been identified as Atiq alias Bashir and Khudib Fakrruddin. The arrested terrorist injured in the shootout has been identified as Saif.

Delhi Police Sub-Inspector Mohan Sharma and Hawaldar Balwant were also injured in the gunbattle started at around 11.15 am., the Deputy Commissioner of Police, HGS Dhaliwal confirmed.

Delhi borders have been sealed after the encounter.

Police sources say that these militants may be associated with the team that carried out Delhi blasts in which 25 people killed and above 130 injured.

In the mean time, Home Minister Shivraj Patil has rushed to the police headquarters to observe the operation.

Jamia Nagar is a residential area and the Jamia University is also situated there. The presence of militants in the national capital points to breach of security and failure of the intelligence agencies.

A day ago, the government against the vehement demand favouring stern anti-terror laws in the country to curtail terrorisms came out with strengthening the existing laws and lacing the police forces with additional equipments, personnel and vehicles.