By IANS,
Noida/Lucknow : Two suspected Pakistani terrorists were killed in a gun battle with the Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terror Squad (ATS) in this suburb of the national capital early Sunday, a day ahead of India’s Republic Day, police said. Two AK-47s, hand grenades and RDX were recovered from them.
The incident took place at 2.15 a.m. in Sector 97 when the suspected terrorists were intercepted while they were travelling in a white Maruti 800 car, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Brij Lal — who is also chief of Uttar Pradesh ATS — said at a press conference in Lucknow.
“The terrorists opened fire at the ATS team, which fired back. The driver of the car lost control and went off the road. Then the police team took cover behind a road divider and fired at them. During the gun battle, ATS officer Vinod Kumar Singh sustained a bullet injury,” Brij Lal said.
The terrorists were injured in the shootout and were taken to hospital, where they were declared brought dead, he added.
Brij Lal said: “The two were identified as Abu Ismail of Rawalkot and Farookh alias Ali Ahmed of Rahimyar Khan in Pakistan.”
The police are trying to find out the local contacts of the terrorists, he added.
Two AK-47s, five hand grenades, RDX, detonators, Pakistani passports, 120 live cartridges and Rs.18,000 in cash were recovered from the suspected terrorists, the officer said.
ATS sources in Lucknow said that the type of weapons seized indicate the two could belong to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist outfit and may have planned to target the Republic Day Parade in New Delhi Monday. But Brij Lal said “confirmation in this regard could be made only after the completion of inquiry”.
He added that the car’s engine and chassis number had been erased.
Inspector Anil Samania of Noida police said: “The number plate of the car was found to be that of a Bajaj Chetak scooter owned by a Ghaziabad resident.”
Fake student identity cards were also recovered from them, he said.