Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir Police have arrested three terrorist associates in central Kashmir’s Budgam district linked to proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba and have recovered incriminating materials from their possession, officials said on Sunday.
“Acting on specific input Budgam Police along with 53RR and CRPF have arrested three terrorist associates of proscribed terror outfit LeT. They have been identified as Mohd Yousuf Dar alias Janbaz Kashmiri, Abdul Majeed Mir alias Majid, both residents of Chewdara Beerwah (both ex-terrorists) and Reyaz Ahmad Basmati, resident of Safakadal, Srinagar. These terrorist associates were also working for other proscribed terror outfit Tehreek-ul Mujahideen,” police said.
Police said preliminary investigation revealed that these terrorist associates were operating in Budgam and Srinagar districts with an aim to target newly-elected DDC members and to disrupt recent DDC elections.
“They were in touch with handlers in Pakistan viz Sheikh, Usman, Tariq, Haftullah and others. These terror associates under the garb of securing admissions in Pakistani educational institutions, were managing contacts with Pakistan-based terror handlers to recruit terrorists and revive terrorism in Budgam,” police said.
Police said they were also involved in several grenade attacks in Srinagar district.
“These terror associates also disclosed that their motive was to recycle the ex-militants and target DDC members, security forces and political workers. This group has also been active in issuing threat letters to political workers in the recent past, the same have also been recovered from their possession,” police said.
Police said their nefarious designs of disrupting the democratic process and harming peaceful citizens on behalf of Pakistan-based handlers has been thwarted due to timely action by Budgam police and security forces.
Two hand grenades, 25 AK-rounds, four detonators, mobile phones used to contact Pakistani handlers, and threat posters have been recovered from their possession. All the recovered materials have been taken into case records for further investigation.
Police have registered an FIR and further investigation is in progress.
(IANS)
