Suspected IS terrorist killed in Lucknow operation

Team Udayavani, Mar 8, 2017, 5:00 PM IST

Lucknow: A suspected ISIS terrorist was killed in a house on the outskirts of the city after a 12-hour long operation to capture him alive. The terror suspect Saifullah was killed in an exchange of fire with the police. He is suspected to be linked with the blast in the Bhopal-Ujjain train yesterday, police said.

“The anti-terror operation was being monitored by senior officials. Now after opening the doors of the house (where the terrorist was holed up), the force has gone inside the house, and the suspect has been found dead along with his weapons,” Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Daljit Chaudhary said today.

He said at one point of time it appeared that more than one person was holed up inside the house. The operation stands closed now. Rest of the legal formalities will subsequently take place,” Chaudhary said. Speaking to reporters after the anti-terror operation, IG ATS Aseem Arun said, “Efforts were made to catch the suspected terrorist (identified as Saifullah) alive, but unfortunately this did not materialise. We fired tear gas shells and chilly bombs, so that he comes out. But, he did not come out.”

The ATS commandoes then stormed inside the house (after issuing a warning to the terrorist), Arun said. “The suspected terrorist then fired at the ATS commandoes, which was then appropriately retaliated by the ATS commandoes. After this, two rooms were thoroughly searched and checked, and the person identified as Saifullah was found dead.”

“The slain terrorist belongs to the Khurasan module of the ISIS and was an active member. But, whether he has been indoctrinated or not is a matter of investigation.” The IG ATS went on to say that commandoes also saw a wire wrapped around the stomach of the terrorist.

“We suspect that it could possibly be an explosive. Hence, the Bomb Disposal Squad has been called to clear the room first. After this the investigations would commence,” he said. On reports of two terrorists being holed up in the house, the IG ATS, said, “Since we were using tube cameras to ascertain the details (of the suspected terrorists), the image was not very clear, and it appeared that there may be two terrorists holed up in the house. But, when the search and clear operations were carried out, only one body was found.” “One pistol, revolver, knife and ammunition have been recovered,” he said.