Ahead of R-Day, 2 Hizbul militants held; 5 in 5 days

Now, weapons coming from Delhi too!

JAMMU: Achieving yet another major success ahead of the Republic Day, the security agencies have arrested two militants of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terror outfit from Shopian, who were involved in procuring country-made arms and ammunition from Delhi-NCR, the new route adopted by outfits operating in Jammu and Kashmir for keeping the militancy alive, in view of strong resistance in trans-border weapon smuggling from Indian security forces.

The duo, including a juvenile, were nabbed in a joint operation by a special team of Delhi police, along with J&K police on Friday, police informed Sunday.

This is the second module of this kind busted within 5 days. Earlier, Kathua police on Monday last had arrested two natives of Awantipora who were purchasing Tamanchas from Uttar Pradesh and supplying them to militants in Kashmir Valley, as reported exclusively by The News Now.

Subsequently, a juvenile who was said to be the key operator in this racket was arrested by Kathua police two days ago from Pulwama district and his questioning has led to further arrests.

Making further strides, a joint team of Delhi and Shopian police secured arrest of two Hizbul militants, police said on Sunday.

“One of the arrested militant was identified as Kifayatullah Bukhari son of Mehrajuddin Bukhari, a resident of Now Pora Bara, Shopian in Jammu and Kashmir, even as his associate--a juvenile was also apprehended. They were nabbed at special blockade setup in Shopian on Friday,” it said, adding a team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell was also present at the Naka for identification.

“During the onset of this year, a specific input was received by Special Cell regarding movement of HM militants in NCR for procuring sophisticated small weapons.

“It has been learnt that small weapons for executing target killing are difficult to arrange in J&K and the HM militants are procuring the same from NCR.

“Information was received recently that a HM militant has procured a sophisticated weapons and will join the ranks of HM as an active militant,” Delhi police detailed the incident in a release this evening accessed by The News Now.

Later, the information was shared with police in Shopian district even as a team of Special Cell of New Delhi Range (NDR) was sent to Valley, who successfully laid a trap and apprehended two active HM militants.

“One pistol and 14 live cartridges have been recovered from the militants and a case vide FIR No. 07/2019 was registered at PS Shopian, J&K under section 307 Ranbir Penal Code, 7/25 IA Act, 16(B), 18 ULA(P) Act in this regard,” a senior police officer told this scribe.

He claimed that the two arrested people were in touch with Hizb Militant, Syed Naveed Mushtaq alias Naveed Babu.

“The arrested militants were allegedly in contact with Naved Mustaq, an ex-constable, also known as Naveed Babu, a resident of Nazneenpora of Shopian, South Kashmir.

“He had joined J-K police in 2012 and was serving as a police constable before joining militants. He decamped with four weapons in 2017 and is the district commander of HM.

“An underground hideout suspected to be of Naveed which can accommodate 4-5 militants at a time was also identified,” he said.

Meanwhile, DCP (special cell) P S Kushwah said that his officers were identifying the various modules inspired by the ISIS group and terrorists of HM who are procuring weapons from north India.

“It was revealed that militant organisations were planning to extend their activities in Delhi and nearby areas,” he said.

“In September, police nabbed two militant of ISIS-JK from Red Fort, New Delhi, along with arms and ammunition, and in November, three militants were arrested from Srinagar with hand grenades and weapons,” he added.