One arrested for extorting money posing as militant: police

SRINAGAR :  A person who allegedly extorted money from locals and sarpanches posing as a militant was arrested in Pulawama district in Kashmir, police said today.
Aijaz Ahmad Shah was arrested by a joint team of police, Army and CRPF last evening in village Chakora on charges of extorting money using a toy pistol and posing as a militant, a police spokesman said.
He said police had received information that a person posing as a militant was threatening panches, sarpanches and other civilians and was extorting money from them.
Acting on a tip-off, police along with Army and CRPF arrested Shah and recovered a toy pistol, a tear smoke grenade, cash worth Rs 50,000 and a mobile phone from his possession, the spokesman said.
He confessed to extorting money, the spokesman said.
A case had been registered and investigations were on, he said. *(AGENCIES)