3 militant associates arrested
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Jan 31: Police today foiled an attempt to target the newly elected District Development Council (DDC) members and revive militancy in district Budgam with the arrest of three militant associates of Lashkar-e-Toiba in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.
Acting on a specific input, Budgam Police, 53 RR of Army and CRPF arrested three militants from Budgam during searches.
Those arrested have been identified as two former militants Mohammad Yousuf Dar alias Janbaz Kashmiri son of Ghulam Rasool Dar, Abdul Majeed Mir alias Majid son of Assadullah Mir, both residents of Chewdara Beerwah and Reyaz Ahmad Basmati son of Mohammad Maqbool Basmati, resident of Safa Kadal in Srinagar.
Police said that these militant associates were affiliated with LeT and were also working for other militant outfits like Tehreekul Mujahideen.
Police said that two hand grenades, 25 AK-47 rounds, 4 detonators, mobile phones used to contact Pakistani handlers, threat posters and other incriminating material have been recovered from their possession. They have been booked in case (FIR No. 11/2021 under relevant Sections ULA (P) and I.A Act) in Police Station Beerwah.
Police said that these militant associates were operating in Budgam and Srinagar districts with the aim to target newly elected DDC members and disrupt elections.
They were in touch with handlers in Pakistan including Sheikh, Usman, Tariq, Haftullah and others. These militant associates in garb of securing admissions in Pakistani educational institutions and were managing contacts with Pakistan based militant handlers in order to recruit militants and revive militancy in Budgam.
“They were also involved in several grenade attacks in district Srinagar. The militant associates disclosed that their motive was to recycle the ex-militants and target DDCs, security forces and political workers. This group has also been active in issuing threat letters to political workers in recent past, which have also been recovered from them”, Police said.
Police said that their nefarious designs of disrupting democratic process and harming peace loving citizens on behalf of Pakistan based handlers have been thwarted due to timely action by Budgam police and security forces.
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