Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 3: Security forces arrested two Pakistan-trained Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militants in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district soon after they returned.
The militants, who had gone to Pakistan on valid Pakistani visa to obtain arms training to undertake militant activities in the Valley, were arrested during a joint operation by the Baramulla Police,52 Rashtriya Rifles of Army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
He said the militants had obtained their passports specifically for the purpose of arms training.
“These militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba were nabbed immediately after returning via the Wagah-Attari border before they could formally join the militant ranks here in Kashmir,” said a Police officer. He identified the arrested militants as Abdul Majeed Bhat, resident of Kreeri, and Mohammad Ashraf Mir, from Pattan.
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The officer said that on questioning, the duo revealed that they underwent training in Pakistan along with a large number of Pakistani boys, most of whom were from Balochistan and as young as 10 years. “The said terrorist training camps are located near Burma Town in Islamabad, and being run by a terrorist commander operating under code names Hanzala, Adanan and Omar. Other terrorists imparting training to young boys are operating with code names Osama, Naveed and Hataf,” he said.
He said that the arrested militants were given Pakistani visas by the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. “It is pertinent to mention here that in the past couple of years, police have unearthed several such modules that lure young boys to Pakistan to get trained and join militancy. In the past, several such boys have been arrested, while some of them were killed in encounters,” he added.
A case was registered and an investigation is underway. “Parents are requested to keep watch on their wards. Their prolonged absence from home should be immediately reported to police so that lives of these boys can be saved,” he added.
In the meantime, four persons, including two CRPF personnel, were injured in a grenade attack in Pulwama district of South Kashmir today.
Militants lobbed a grenade at a CRPF party in Batagund area of Tral in which four persons, including two CRPF jawans, were injured.
The area has been cordoned off and a search operation was conducted but no one was arrested as militants had run away.
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