New Delhi: Delhi police last night (Dec 7, 2003) shot dead two Pakistani terrorists in an encounter near the famous Lotus Temple and arrested two of their Indian associates here.

The terrorists belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen Pir Punjab Range (HMPPR) were traced near the Temple in Kalkaji area shortly after the arrest and interrogation of their two associates earlier in the evening from Khanpur, also in South Delhi, Joint Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Neeraj Kumar told reporters.

The dead ultras were identified by their Indian associates as Hafiz Rashid and Bilal.

Kumar said police located the duo near the Lotus Temple and laid a trap for them triggering an encounter.

The two terrorists fired at the police drawing retaliation in which both were killed.

Two Chinese pistols and some empty cartridges were found near the bodies of the slain militants, Kumar said.

Earlier, Police arrested Tarif Hussein and Tazim Mohammed belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen Pir Panjal Range from Khanpur following specific information, Kumar said.

Hussein and Mohammed told the police about the presence of Rashid and Bilal, he added.

Two AK 56 rifles, four magazines, six hand grenades, 120 rounds of ammunitions, 4.3 kgs of RDX, two detonators and Rs 15 lakh in cash were recovered from the possession of Huseein and Mohammed who were suspected to have sneaked into the capital for planning a strike in New Delhi, police source said.

Asked about the motive and plan of the slain as well as arrested terrorists, the JCP said Hussein and Mohammed were being interrogated by a joint team of police and intelligence officials and nothing could be disclosed right away.

Replying to a question, he did not rule out the possibility of police carrying out operations in some other parts of the national capital in search of more terrorists.

Police arrested last night 40-year-old Rashid Qureshi, a Pakistan-trained terrorist, who was in the capital allegedly to set up a base. Qureshi, who hails from Uri in Kashmir, was nabbed in North West Delhi, police sources told reporters.

PTI