Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 31: Kupwara Police today achieved a major breakthrough by busting a militant network that was trying to revive Al-Badar outfit in Kashmir by sending youth across the Line of Control (LoC) to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for arms training.
Police arrested two youth who were trying to cross the Line of Control (LoC) to enter Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for arms training through border district of Kupwara in North Kashmir. They also arrested four Over Ground Workers (OGWs) who were facilitating their exfiltration.
The interrogation of these arrested youth has revealed that a militant Ishfaq Paul who is in Central Jail is trying to revive the Al-Badar in Kashmir. The two youth, who railed from Pulwama, were motivated by Hizb commander Riyaz Naiku to join militancy and sent by him to meet Ishfaq Paul in Central Jail before they left for PoK and were arrested by police near the LoC.
Police is investigating from the four arrested OGWs whether they have been successful in sending any youth to PoK for arms training so far or not.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara, Shamsheer Hussain told Excelsior that based on specific information, police’s Special Operation Group (SOG) cordoned off Manigah village of Hyhama area in Kupwara district today.
“During search of the area, two youth were found moving suspiciously and were nabbed,” the SSP said, adding that they identified themselves as 20 year-old Danish Ghulam Lone, son of Ghulam Mohammad Lone, resident of Brah Badna village of Pulwama district and 21-year old Suhail Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Mohiudin Bhat, resident of Dogripora village of Awantipora in Pulwama.
“Some incriminating documents including the map of areas adjoining to LoC and some posters of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit were also recovered from the possession of the arrested youth. During preliminary interrogation, they disclosed that they were motivated by one active Hizb militant namely Adnan operating in Pulwama area for joining the militant ranks and exfiltration to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) for obtaining arms training,” said the SSP.
Hussain said that they further disclosed that the Hizb militant Adnan had also asked them to visit the Central Jail Srinagar and meet one Hizb cadre namely Ishaq Paul of Shopian district, who is a militant under detention. “On the instructions of Hizb militant Adnan, they both visited the Central Jail Srinagar and met Ishaq Paul and Ghulam Nabi Mughal, residents of Manigah Kupwara also a detainee in Central Jail Srinagar.
“After their meeting with both Ishaq Paul and Ghulam Nabi Mughal, they were told to send their photographs on WhatsApp number of PoK region. After returning from Central Jail Srinagar they have sent their photographs and other details to the PoK handlers and the OGWs network in Kupwara was also activated by the PoK handlers,” the SSP said.
The SSP further told reporters that the local OGWs facilitated their journey from Srinagar to Kupwara and further to Manigah area on way to LoC. “On the disclosure of both the youth, four OGWs namely Doulat Ali Mughal, Liyaqat Ali Khan, Ghulam Nabi Mughal, all residents of Manigah Kupwara and Haroon Ahmad Sheikh, residents of Amrohie Karnah in Kupwara were also arrested,” the SSP said.
He said further that these four OGWs were facilitating the youth of the Valley especially South Kashmir to cross the LoC on the instructions of Hizb South Kashmir module in coordination with their handlers across the LoC for obtaining arms training. “A case under FIR number 279/2017 under Section 13, 18, 18-B Prevention of Unlawful Activities Act and 120-B RPC stands registered in police station Kupwara and further investigation in progress,” he said.
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