Stonepelter turned LeT terrorist arrested in Kashmir

Srinagar, July 25 : Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday said they have arrested a stone-pelter, who turned into Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, from the Sopore area of Jammu and Kashmir's Batramulla district.

"Today a joint naka of 22-RR, the CRPF and the Sopore Police was laid at Fruit Mandi crossing Sopore. During naka checking, one individual identified as Basit Najar of Sopore was apprehended. We have recovered one pistol from his possession," said an official of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.

The officials said on questioning, the accused revealed that he along with his associate Danish Mantoo recently joined the LeT outfit and were active in Sopore area.

"It is pertinent to mention that photos of Basit Najar holding a pistol recently surfaced on the social networking sites. Before joining militancy, Basit was a notorious stone-pelter and was a mastermind in organising stone-pelting and motivating youth for stone-pelting in Sopore town", the officer said.

Recently, a video surfaced showing Najar with other active terrorists in protests during funeral of a terrorist in the Valley.

An FIR under Section 297/2016 u/s 147, 148, 149, 336 of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) and 231/2016 u/s 147, 148, 149, 336 of RPC has been registered against him.