First of its kind grenades recovered
Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar Jan 1: Police today said that they arrested an Over Ground Worker of militants who was tasked to kill a recently elected Councillor in Baramulla town of North Kashmir.
Addressing a news conference in Baramulla, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla, Abdul Qayoom said that the arrested OGW was tasked to recruit youth and to kill a newly elected Councillor. “The Councillor has been informed about the intentions of militants”, he said
He said that the OGW has faced four PSAs in the past. He said that they arrested a militant associate, Asif Gull, early this week who was under the police radar for the past eight months for his involvement in a grenade attack in Baramulla in August last year that claimed the lives of security personnel besides having over two dozen cases registered against him.
He said that during the investigation it was found that he was in touch with the most wanted and longest surviving militant Hyder and associates who were killed in an encounter last year.
“Hyder and another associate were in touch with Asif Gull and it repeatedly surfaced he was involved in a grenade attack but had gone into hiding since then to undertake some tasks,” he said.
“In the preliminary investigation, it surfaced that Asif had even managed to move outside J&K”, he said.
He termed the arrest as an achievement for security forces. He said that the apprehended Asif Gull is involved in at least 29 FIRs in Baramulla, four at Sopore and also was booked under four PSAs.
“Abid, his friend, a student enrolled at Jammu College went to Pakistan via Wagah Border by availing a visa and is presently running TRF outfit as top commander based in Pakistan and Asif was tasked to recruit youth into the outfit (TRF)”, he said.
“First of its kind grenades have been recovered from Asif. In Jammu and Kashmir, no such recovery has been made so far by the security forces and all were kept within a bag full of charcoal covered with a plastic bottle to escape from the joint Naka,” the SSP said.
He added that in the preliminary investigation, it also surfaced that apprehended Asif has done huge extortion in the name of Lashkar and TRF but none of the individuals have so far approached the police with a complaint against him.
“With his arrest, we are sure that almost eight youth have been saved from joining the TRF outfit and his stay in Srinagar is also being investigated and it’ll be thoroughly investigated what he was asked to execute there,” he said.
To a question about the purpose of his visit to outside J&K, the SSP said that it’s a preliminary investigation and the movement traced has revealed his presence outside J&K as well but the investigation is still underway and all the security agencies are involved in the questioning.
“The questioning by the joint security agencies will reveal the purpose of his visit to outside J&K but the observations reveal that he was tasked for some militancy-related activities there,” he said.
Police in Awantipora arrested a militant associate and recovered incriminating materials including explosive substance from his possession.
Awantipora police along with 42 RR and 130 Bn CRPF arrested one militant associate of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). He has been identified as Aqif Ahmad Teli resident of Cherso Awantipora.
“As per police records he was involved in providing shelter, logistics and other support to the active militants, besides transporting arms & ammunition in Awantipora and Tral areas. He was also involved in recruiting local youth in militant ranks and distribution of militant money. In this regard, the bank transactions of the arrested militant associate are also being investigated,” police said.
“Incriminating material of LeT and other explosive substances been recovered from his possession. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation. In this connection, a case under FIR number 02/2021 under relevant section of law stands registered in Police Station Awantipora and further investigation has been initiated,” police said.
Militants this evening lobbed a grenade on SSB camp near Chanapora byepass area of Srinagar. However, no loss of life or injury was reported.
Police said that the militants hurled grenade on 14 Bn Ecoy of SSB near byepass bridge in Chanapora area of Srinagar. “There was no loss of life or injury in the attack”, police added.
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