Intl agency sounds alert, identifies areas of shelter
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 25: Intelligence wing of Jammu and Kashmir Police has sounded specific alert about presence of four Hizbul Mujahideen militants including a former police constable at Banjwar and Paribagh areas of Kishtwar district, who were involved in the killings of top RSS leader Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO Rajinder Kumar and were now plotting to target more religious/political and social leaders, affiliated with BJP, RSS and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).
Besides this, the Intelligence agency has sounded that two more militants have been seen in Deherina forest area of Marwah in Kishtwar district along with AK rifles and they too could indulge in terror activities.
After receiving the inputs from top level of the Intelligence agency, Kishtwar police and security forces have launched massive search operation at Banjwar, Paribagh and Deherina areas to track down the militants. However, a contact with the militants hasn’t been established so far.
Official document of the Intelligence agency, which is available with the Excelsior, has identified four militants involved in the killings of RSS leader and his PSO on April 9, as Osama bin Javed, Haroon Abass Wani, Naveed Mushtaq Shah, a former police constable and Zahid Hussain Sagar alias Mission.
Sources said Osama bin Javed, Haroon Abass Wani and Zahid Hussain were residents of Dachchan in Kishtwar district while Naveed Mushtaq Shah hailed from South Kashmir’s Shopian district. Kishtwar police have already seized an Alto car, which Zahid Hussain had used in executing the killings of Chanderkant Sharma and Rajinder Kumar. Zahid is a fresh recruit in the militancy.
Inputs available with the Intelligence agency revealed that these four militants had taken shelter at Banjwar and Paribagh areas in the mountains of Kishtwar district after executing the killings. Simultaneously, the input revealed that two more unidentified militants have been camping at Deherina forest in upper reaches of Marwah in Kishtwar district. These two militants were also equipped with assault rifles, like the four others, who were reportedly in possession of weapons and grenades.
The Intelligence input has warned that the militants could carry out another targeted attack on social/religious/political leaders. It has named two prominent leaders of BJP and RSS, who were on hit list of the militants.
The hiding militants, the Intelligence agency said, could also try to snatch weapons of police personnel to equip themselves with more weapons as they were short of rifles, ammunition and explosive material.
Meanwhile, Kishtwar police in view of fresh alert sound by the Intelligence agency, has raised the level of security of the leaders mentioned in the letter as potential targets of the militants.
During past over five and half months, the militants have carried out three major strikes in the heart of Kishtwar town. On November 1, 2018, the militants had gunned down prominent BJP leader, Anil Parihar and his brother, Ajit Parihar while on March 8 this year, they had snatched weapons of police constable Daleep Singh, who was posted as Personal Security Officer (PSO) of Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Angrez Singh Rana. On April 9 this year, the militants struck in the District Hospital Kishtwar, and killed top RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma and his PSO Rajinder Kumar.
Significantly, the militants involved in all three major strikes in Kishtwar haven’t been arrested so far.
Case pertaining to the killings of Parihar brothers has been handed over to the National Investigating Agency (NIA) while two other cases were being worked out by Kishtwar police.
Sources said Army, CRPF and Kishtwar Police were conducting joint search operations at various places in Kishtwar to eliminate the militants involved in the killings of Parihar brothers, RSS leader and his PSO and snatching the weapon of the PSO.
Police confirmed that the killings of Parihar brothers as well as the RSS leader and his PSO were executed by the local militants of Kishtwar with the help and directions of their associates in South Kashmir. They expressed hope that a breakthrough will be made in the killings soon.
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