Jammu, Sept 12: BSF today claimed that a Harkat-ul Ansar militant killed by them recently in south Kashmir was a cousin of Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi. "Saquib, killed in Anantnag on Sunday last following a tip-off, turned out to be a relative of Shahid Afridi," BSF Inspector General Vijay Raman said in Jammu.
He based his claim on certain documents recovered from the slain militant and the version of people who knew him.
Saquib hails from Peshawar in Pakistan and had been active in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir for about two years, Raman said. The IG said as per investigation, Saquib used to flaunt his relation with Shahid Afridi among the people in Anantnag during his stay there. "It is an open secret in Anantnag," he said.
"Initially we did not know whom we were tracking down. It was only later when his identity was established by documents that we realised whom we had got", he said.
BSF received a tip-off in the afternoon of Sunday that two militants were travelling on motorcycle in a particular area of Anantnag. Soon a team of BSF men swooped upon the two motorcycle riders. On sighting the BSF, the motorcycle driver dumped the vehicle and fled. The pillion rider fell down and started firing at BSF, he said, adding in retaliatory fire he got killed.
He turned out to be Saquib, Raman said. Bureau Report