JAMMU, Mar 29: Police today re-arrested both militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit including Sher Khan and Abdullah, who had jumped custody between Patnitop and Kud on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway last evening while being taken back to Udhampur jail from Kishtwar district after court attendance.
In another incident, police today recovered explosive devices including six grenades from Ghambir Mugalan in Rajouri district.
IGP Jammu Dilbagh Singh told a press conference this evening that both the militants were arrested in a co-ordinated operation launched by the teams of Ramban, Doda and Udhampur police from Haldu Top and Ansi Top in Pasyal forest area under the jurisdiction of Assar police station in Doda district at 4 pm today.
Mr Singh said Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami (HuJI) divisional commander for Kishtwar, Dullah Bakerwal alias Sher Khan and Jameel Abaas alias Abdullah Bakerwal, who had escaped police custody from a slope on Patnitop-Batote road on the pretext of attending to nature’s call, were re-arrested within 24 hours by the police from Pasyal forests.
The IGP lauded the police personnel for re-arresting the militants in a short span of time and described it as a major success of police.
A fresh case has been registered against both the militants at Batote police station under Sections 221, 222, 223 and 224 RPC, SP Ramban Anil Magotra said, adding that both the militants after their arrest were shifted to Batote police station for sustained interrogation to ascertain whether some more persons including the police personnel were involved in conspiracy to escape.
Mr Magotra said the militants have been kept under tight security arrangements at Batote police station and would be taken to a safer area tomorrow morning.
DIG Doda-Ramban range Manish Kumar Sinha, SP Ramban Anil Magotra, SP Doda Arif Reshu, SHO Batote Inspector Ravinder Parihar and SHO Assar Mr Rakwal besides officials of adjoining police stations along with police and para-military personnel co-ordinated search operations in Batote, Assar and surrounding forests for nearly 24 hours before apprehending the militants.
Police said Sher Khan was caught at Haldu Top while Abdullah was nabbed from nearby Ansi Top in Pasyal forest area of Assar police station in Doda district. After their escape, the militants had taken the forest route to move towards Doda. They had spent last night in the forests and were waiting for darkness to move further when police parties apprehended them.
Though both the militants were in Pasyal forests, they were moving separately towards Doda. They were caught at a distance of about one kilometer at Haldu Top and Ansi Top.
Police personnel had been hunting the militants in all forest areas leading to Doda from Patnitop and Batote since last evening after both militants had jumped custody.
It may be mentioned that the militants along with other detenues had been shifted to Kishtwar for court attendance from Udhampur and other jails. They were being brought back to Udhampur from Kishtwar when they asked the cops for nature’s call. They fled away from the slope on the pretext of attending the nature’s call.
Police had arrested four constables, who had been assigned security task of the two militants, and registered a case against them. They have been placed under suspension.
Meanwhile, Rajouri police today averted a major tragedy when they recovered explosive devices during a search operation at Ghambir Mugalan under the jurisdiction of Manjakote police station in Rajouri district.
SSP Rajouri Mubassir Latifi said the recoveries were made from a hideout of the militants. Recoveries included six Chinese grenades, four Under Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs) and three wireless sets.
Mr Latifi said the recoveries have dealt a major blow to the militants and averted a major catastrophe.
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