3 arrested, 7 AK rifles recovered
*People living near fence used to smuggle weapons
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Sept 14: Three terror operatives, who were trying to set up a new Hizbul Mujahideen module in Poonch district with the backing of a Pakistani handler, have been arrested by police and a total of seven AK rifles have been recovered from them.
Police identified the arrested terror operatives as Tariq Sheikh son of Habibullah, Reyaz Lone son of Farooq Lone and Mohammad Shaffi son of Ghulam Nabi, all residents of Chambar Kanari, Poonch.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Arrests were made one-by-one few days back and based on their interrogation, four assault rifles were recovered initially followed by three more taking seizure of total weapons to seven, police said.
Sources said all three arrested terror operatives were part of fresh Hizbul Mujahideen module and were working at the behest of a Pakistani handler. They were putting up in a village located close to the fencing near Line of Control (LoC) where they were delivered consignment of assault rifles from across the LoC.
“The Pakistani handler as well as the arrested terror operatives were planning to create local and new network of Hizbul Mujahideen in the border district of Poonch with a view to carry out subversive activities,” the sources said.
Declining to disclose identity of the Pakistani handler, sources said it will hamper their investigations but he was presently operating from Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK).
As fresh infiltration has declined on the LoC, the terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen wanted to create their local network in Poonch and then further spread it to Rajouri to cover both the border districts. However, their plot has been thwarted by the police with timely arrests of terror operatives and seizure of seven AK rifles besides large quantity of ammunition.
“Fantastic investigation by JKP (Jammu and Kashmir Police). Dogged determination and relentless investigation leads to the arrest of 3 terror sympathizers, along with the recovery of 7 AKs (4 recovered earlier) and a large quantity of warlike stores in Poonch,” Inspector General of Police, Jammu, Bhim Sen Tuti said in a post on X.
There have been reports about presence of some foreign terrorists in Pir Panjal range including Rajouri and Poonch districts besides the upper reaches of Doda, Kishtwar, Udhampur and some other districts.
During past few months, contacts have been established by security forces with the terrorists in higher reaches of Kishtwar and Udhampur districts. Sometime back, a top commander of the terrorists was killed in Basantgarh.
Terrorists sitting in Pakistan including those hailing from Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts have repeatedly been making attempts to radicalize local youth and lure them into the militancy. They have been making contacts with youth using different modes of communications but their attempts haven’t succeeded so far.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
