Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 16: Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir range Vijay Kumar today said that police have busted an Over Ground Worker (OGW) militant module and arrested six militant associates besides seizing six vehicles that were used by militants in carrying out attacks on security forces on National Highway.
Addressing the press conference at Police Station Pantha Chowk, IGP said that a series of attacks took place from August 14 this year to October 5 that include an attack on police and SSB men at Nowgam, Srinagar on August 14 in which two policemen were killed and one INSAS riffle snatched as well.
“Similarly, on September 21, militants attacked an ROP at New bypass and on September 25, they targeted the CRPF party at Chadoora in which one CRPF man was killed and his weapon was also snatched. On October 5, another attack was carried out at ROP of CRPF at Taingan, By-pass in which two CRPF men were killed and four others injured,” the IGP said.
Kumar said in order to solve the attacks, different teams were constituted by the police West Zone Srinagar.
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“Around 9 to 10 suspects were identified and subsequently picked up by these teams. The teams were able to identity the links through human intelligence. Raids were conducted in Chadoora, Budgam, Nowgam and other areas of district Srinagar. The suspects were subjected to sustained interrogation during which they confessed about their involvements,” the IGP said.
He said that pinpoint location of the house where militants involved in these attacks were hiding at Barzullah, Srinagar was also obtained using human intelligence.
The IGP said that six militant associates arrested include Waseem Ahemd Ganai of Ganaimohalla, Chatergam, Chadoora, Faisal Mushtaq Ganai of Aribagh, Nowgam, Shakir Ahmed Dar of Marvel, Kakapora, Pulwama, Suhail Shabir Ganai of Ganai Mohalla Chattergam, Chadoora, Budgam, Umar Nisar of Iqbal Coloney Wanbal, Shakerpora,, Nowgam, Srinagar and Sahil Nisar of Aribagh, Nowgam.
He said that six vehicles were also seized from the arrested militant associates that include Tavera, Pulsar bike, Yamaha bike, Alto while colour, Alto-800, and a Bike
In the meantime, a Special Police Officer (SPO) turned militant managed to escape while his aide was arrested during a search operation conducted after an encounter that broke out at Chadoora area of Central Kashmir’s Budgam district this morning.
Kumar said that the SPO Altaf Hussain who fled from his unit on October 13 along with his friend Jehangir Ahmed Bhat, fired at a security forces party at Chadoora, Budgam in the morning. “However, security forces cordoned off the area and cornered the militants. They had emptied a full magazine of AK-47 while firing at the security forces,” the IGP said.
He said that the SPO managed to escape from the cordon amid firing but security forces arrested Jehangir. “One AK-47 rifle and a magazine have been recovered from Jehangir,” the IGP said, adding that Jehangir was a stone-pelter and an OGW.
He said that security forces exercised maximum restraint by catching the militant. “Jehangir was missing since past four days and had got the AK-47 rifle from SPO Altaf, who had decamped with two AK-47 rifles from his unit,” he said.
Kumar said: “We urge parents to keep a close watch on the children and ensure they don’t tread on wrong path. We could have killed Jehangir but we conducted the operation professionally and caught him.” The IGP appealed the family members of Altaf to bring their son back by approaching him.
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