Intelligence sources on Friday claimed that Naveed Jatt, who recently escaped from Srinagar hospital, may be one of the three bike-borne killers who killed Rising Kashmir editor-in-chief Shujaat Bukhari. Jatt is already under NIA scanner in connection with several terror attacks in Kashmir.
The development comes barely hours after the Jammu and Kashmir Police released the photographs of Bukhari's suspected killers and appealed to the general public for valuable information leading to their arrest. The CCTV footage obtained by the police shows the three bike-borne attackers who came wearing helmets with their faces covered.
While the one riding the bike was wearing a black helmet, the second was hiding his face and the third was wearing a black mask. The image also shows the second pillion rider carrying a bag.
Bukhari and his personal security officer were killed outside his Press Colony residence in Srinagar on Thursday, leaving him in a pool of blood. The noted journalist was about to break his Ramzan fast with Iftar (evening meal), when the incident occurred.
On Friday, Omar Abdullah, several members of the Mehbooba Mufti government, top police officers, JKLF Chief Yasin Malik were among the thousands who attended the funeral of the slain editor. Bukhari's body was creamted in his ancestral graveyard at Kreeri Baramulla. The atmosphere was heavy with grief with people still coming into terms with the untimely and brutal death of one of the most well-known journalist of the valley. People from all walks of life attended the funeral to pay their heartfelt tribute. It was raining heavily perhaps in sync with the sombre atmosphere prevailing during the funeral.
On February 6, Mohammad Naveed Jatt of Multan Pakistan pulled off a dramatic escape from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital in Srinagar after his associates shot dead two policemen who were accompanying him for medical checkup.
Jatt alias Abu Hanzullah alias Munnu alias Chotu, a resident of Sahiwala, Multan in Punjab Pakistan, was arrested in a joint operation by Jammu and Kashmir Police, 62 Rashtriya Riffles and 18th Battalion of CRPF in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on June 20, 2014.
Jatt, who was then acting as district commander of Lashkar-e-Toiba in south Kashmir, had told his interrogators that he was trained in the same "Aksa" camp where Kasab had undergone arms training.
A prized catch Jatt had given insight of Lashkar's working in Pakistan, to his interrogators. He had told his interrogators that Lashkar bosses had become increasingly cautious after the arrest of Kasab.
Sources said he had told his interrogators that Lashkar top trainers were teaching the militants not to repeat the mistakes made by Kasab during the attack in Mumbai. Particularly the cadres were being trained how to conceal identities while speaking over phones and avoid landing into custody in which Kasab failed.
A school dropout, Jatt was admitted in the Lashkar training camp as a shepherd by his father when he was 12 years old. For four years he was taking care of cattle and alternately training in arms before he was sent to Kashmir in 2012. From early 2013 he was operating in south Kashmir and has been involved in number of killings and attacks on security forces.
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 "People at the funeral of Rising Kashmir editor-in-chief Shujaat Bukhari")
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