Four Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) terrorists who were allegedly involved in the attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 were shot dead by Pakistan police in the wee hours today in Lahore.

According to the crime investigation department (CID) of the Punjab police, seven terrorists attacked a CID team in Manawan area of Lahore where offices of the department are located.

"The police team which came under attack of terrorists returned the fire, killing four of them on the spot while the remaining three managed to escape by taking advantage of darkness," a CTD spokesman said.

He said the police have launched a search operation in the area to trace the absconding terrorists.

"The dead terrorists have been identified as Zubair alias Naik Muhammad, Abdul Wahab, Adnan Arshad and Attiqur Rehman," added the spokesman.

"They were involved in attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in 2009 and Moon Market Lahore attack in 2008," he said.

Weapons and explosives were recovered from their possession.

In June, the anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Lahore had indicted six members of the banned terrorist outfit LeJ in the Sri Lankan cricket team attack case.

The LeJ suspects who were charged by the ATC were Obaidullah, Javed Anwar, Ibrahim Khalil, Muhammad, Wahab and Arshad.

Obaidullah, Anwar and Khalil were on bail while the remaining had been lodged in Kot Lakhpat Jail and they had pleaded not guilty.

The ATC had already declared two other suspects – Mohsin Rasheed and Abdul Rehman – proclaimed offenders.

LeJ chief Malik Ishaq, the alleged mastermind of the attack, was killed last year in an encounter with the CID.

In March 2009, a bus carrying the Sri Lankan team was allegedly attacked by the Taliban and LeJ terrorists with sophisticated weapons and grenades at Liberty Chowk, near Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

Seven players, including the then captain Mahela Jayawaredene, Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Thilan Samaraweera, Tharanga Paranavitana and Chaminda Vaas were injured, while six Pakistani policemen escorting the team were killed in the attack.

(PTI)