LeT militant associate held for killing armyman in Budgam

The killing of Territorial Army soldier Sameer Ahmad Malla, whose body was found in an orchard in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, was a “terror” act and a militant associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) involved in the crime has been arrested, police said on Monday

The killing of Territorial Army soldier Sameer Ahmad Malla, whose body was found in an orchard in Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir, was a “terror” act and a militant associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) involved in the crime has been arrested, police said on Monday.

Police said three other people associated with LeT involved in the killing have been identified. (Representative image)

Police said three other people associated with LeT involved in the killing have been identified.

Sameer Malla, who was posted in Jammu with the Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry (JAKLI), had taken leave and was visiting his family in Lokipora Budgam. According to his family members, Malla had stepped out of the house on last Monday and did not return.

Three days later his body was found in Labren village in the Khag area of the district by locals who ultimately informed police.

Malla was found dead on Thursday, three days after he had gone missing.

Malla, held guilty in 2019 by a court martial along with his company commander Major Leetul Gogoi for “fraternising” with a local woman and “being away from the place of duty while in operational area”, had gone missing from his village Lokipora in Khag area on last Monday.

“We are probing both the angles – terror crime angle or maybe there was some fight because of personal animosity and he was murdered. The investigation is going on in both directions,” Kumar had said.