J&K police on Thursday tweeted, “Recently active terrorist of TuM outfit and wanted in Pattan grenade incident, Showkat was killed at Pulwama. Arms and ammunition recovered.” (Photo: Shuaib Masoodi/File)

A Kashmir University graduate who joined militant ranks two weeks ago was killed in a brief encounter on Wednesday night in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, less than 12 hours after the J&K Police said that he had managed to escape after a grenade attack.

Showkat Ahmad Bhat, a B Pharma graduate and resident of Awantipora in Pulwama, along with his associate Faizan Majeed Bhat, a Class XI student, were travelling in a car when they hurled a grenade at a police party in Pattan area of Baramulla district.

Faizan was arrested and Showkat managed to escape even as a police officer was injured, police said.

Faizan and Showkat were associated with the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen and their pictures holding an AK-47 had surfaced on social media two weeks ago, police said.

J&K police on Thursday tweeted, “Recently active terrorist of TuM outfit and wanted in Pattan grenade incident, Showkat was killed at Pulwama. Arms and ammunition recovered.”

Police officials in Pulwama said that a checkpoint was laid at Dougam village in Pulwama district on late Wednesday night. “A group of militants was intercepted and there was an exchange of fire. One militant was killed,” said a senior police officer.

Protests were held at Kashmir University against Showkat’s killing.