Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Mar 14: Inspector General of Police Kashmir, Vijay Kumar today said that police have busted the Hizbul Mujahideen module involved in the recent killing of Sarpanch Shabir Ahmed Mir and arrested three militant associates while another associate involved in Army man’s abduction and murder has been arrested from Budgam.
The IGP said that Kulgam Police busted a module of HM outfit involved in the recent killing of Sarpanch Shabir Ahmad Mir and arrested three militant associates who were actively involved in his killing. He said that they recovered incriminating materials including two pistols on their disclosure.
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“Vehicles used in the commission of crime have also been seized and during the investigation, it was learnt that the Sarpanch was killed by HM militant Mushtaq Yatoo on the directions of HM chief militant Farooq Nalli,” he said.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara Dr G V Sundeep Chakravarthy told reporters that on March 11, militants barged into the residential premises of Sarpanch Shabir Ahmad Mir of Adoora, Kulgam and fired indiscriminately at him.
“He was promptly evacuated to the District Hospital Kulgam where he succumbed to his injuries,” the SSP said, adding that “taking cognizance of the incident, a Case FIR No. 32/2022 u/s 7/27 Arms Act, 13, 16, 18, 20 UAPA was registered in Police Station Kulgam and a Special Investigation Team has been constituted. ”
The SSP said that during the course of investigation, it came to surface that the active militant (HM), Farooq Nali alias Umer received directions from Pakistani handlers to target the public representatives of Kulgam and identified the target and later further directed active HM militants Mushtaq Itoo alias Faizan, Zubair Sofi alias Farhan to execute the act with the support of their associates — Danish Ahmad Dar of Mohanpora, Kulgam, Faisal Hameed Wagay of Adoora, Kulgam and Nisar Rashid Bhat of Tengpora, Shopian to conduct recce of the Sarpanch’s presence ,to arrange transport and provide logistics to execute the act.
“With strenuous efforts of Kulgam Police, the three militant associates have been arrested and the vehicles used in the commission of crime have been seized and from their possession incriminating materials including two Pistols, 3 Pistol Magazines, 11 pistol rounds,2 grenades, 1 magazine of AK 47, and 15 rounds of AK47 have been recovered,” he said, adding that the investigation is going as more arrests and recoveries are expected.
“Also, massive searches are going on to neutralise the militants involved in this killing,” he said.
The IGP said that militants had killed the soldier who was on leave in Budgam and so far one LeT associate has been arrested while three other militants involved in his killing have been identified.
Kumar, said here that case of death of soldier Sameer Ahmad Malla of Khag Budgam turned out to be act of militants who abducted and later murdered him.
He said that an associate militant of LeT was involved in the killing and he was arrested and other three have also been identified.
The IGP said that police in Budgam arrested a militant associate linked with LeT involved in the abduction followed by killing of the soldier.
“On March 7, Police Station Khag had received information about missing of an soldier Sameer Ahmad Malla from his residence. Accordingly, after lodging a formal missing report, the search to trace the missing Jawan was launched” a police spokesman said.
He said that during the search it was on 10th of March 2022 that police learnt about the digging of fresh soil at a spot between village Larkipora and Labran Khag and accordingly his dead body was recovered from the spot.
“After recovery of the dead body, a proper case under relevant Sections of law was registered and investigation was vigorously taken up,” the police spokesman said.
He said that during the course of investigation, specific leads were generated which led to one suspect identified as Ather Illahi Sheikh.
“During questioning, he confessed that on 6th March, three militants of LeT came to his house and stayed there for night and next day pursuant to a well-knit conspiracy Sameer Ahmad Malla was called by the militant associate Ather Illahi to his residence where from he was kidnapped by all the four and thereafter was taken to the spot where from the body was ultimately retrieved,” the spokesman said.
He said that after killing Sameer, the militant associate Ather Illahi Sheikh got the shovel from his house which was used to bury the body. “The shovel was also recovered by the investigating team. Further investigation into the case is vigorously going on,” the spokesman said.
In the meantime, police arrested a militant of JeM from Pulwama and incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including a pistol have been recovered from his possession.
A police spokesman said that during the surprise naka checking by police along with 55RR, 182/183Bn CRPF, movement of a suspicious person was noticed, who was apprehended tactfully by the alert naka party.
He said that the person has been identified as Abrar Bashir son of Bashir Ah Bhat resident of Takia Pulwama. “Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including a pistol, one magazine, 12 rounds and one grenade were recovered from his possession”, he said.
As per police records, the arrested militant is a categorized terrorist as he had recently joined the JeM.
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