Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Dec 20: Police in North Kashmir district of Baramulla achieved a major breakthrough by arresting a militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) involved in the killing of a Sarpanch in Pattan area of the district.
Police said that LeT militant Mohammad Altaf Ganie alias Cheema son of Abdul Hamid resident of village Raipora, Palhalan in North Kashmir was arrested in a joint operation by police, 29 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) of Army and 45 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at his village today.
It said that the militant was involved in the killing of Sarpanch, Ghulam Mohammad Yatoo of Raipora Palhalan. Yatoo was killed on September 10 this year when he was coming out of a local Masjid after offering evening prayers.
Yatoo’s killing resulted in the resignation of hundreds of Panchs and Sarpachs in North Kashmir. Most of these Panchayat members announced their resignations through paid advertisements.
Police said that another accomplice of the arrested militant, Shabir Ahmed Sheikh alias Shaka is still at large. “One AK-47 rifle, four AK magazines, 192 rounds of AK ammunition, one pistol, four pistol rounds, one pouch, one wireless set and 32 IED circuit packs were recovered from them”, police added.
Police said a case (FIR No. 207/2012 under Section 302, 120B RPC, 7/25 A. Act) against the killing of the Sarpanch is registered in police station Pattan.
In the meantime in South Kashmir unknown militants barged into the house of a Sarpanch of a village Harpora, Abdul Aziz son of Mohammad Abdullah last night. The Sarpanch was beaten up and asked to resign. The inmates of the house raised an alarm and the gun men fled under the cover of darkness.
In another incident at Doompora in district Pulwama, unknown gunmen barged last night into the houses of Mohammad Afzal Khanday, Ghulam Mohammad Khan and Ghulam Ahmad Wani and ransacked the houses.
Meanwhile, amid a shutdown for third consecutive day today, clashes erupted in many areas of the Sopore town in which several protesters were injured.
Groups of stone throwing youth appeared at Main Chowk, Khushal Matoo, Bus Stand, Arampora, Batpora, Model Town and other areas and staged demonstrations against the killing of 6 militants in Sopore this week.
The protesters pelted stones on the CRPF and police. Shops, and business establishments remained closed and traffic was off the roads in the town for the third consecutive day.
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