Militants slip out of security cordon
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Oct 13: A Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant, who targeted Public Works Minister, Naeem Akhtar, in Tral last month killing three civilians and injuring 30 others, was today arrested by security forces.
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Acting on a specific information, Awantipora Police along with 42 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 180 Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched a cordon and search operation at village Naristan, Tral last night.
During the search operation JeM militant, Gulzar Ahmad Dar son of Ghulam Nabi resident of Nagbal, Tral was apprehended by the security forces. One Chinese pistol was recovered from his possession.
Police said that Dar joined JeM after hurling a grenade upon motorcade of R&B Minister at Bus Stand Tral in which 3 civilians were killed and 30 persons including 7 CRPF and 2 police personnel were injured.
Police said that during sustained questioning, Dar admitted that he had hurled grenade on the instructions of JeM commander Mufti Vikas, resident of Pakistan and Noor Mohammad Tantray, resident of Darganie Gund, Tral in Pulwama district.
“Pertinent to mention here that the said terrorist was earlier active with JeM outfit in 2014 and he has lobbed a grenade at bus stand Tral in which five persons lost their lives on 5th of December 2014. A case FIR number 121/2014 under Section 307/RPC, 2/5 explosive substance already stands registered in Police Station Tral. He was arrested and released after 2 years in January 2017”, Police said.
During questioning, Dar admitted that his four associates, all foreign militants, are hiding in a hideout in Pastuna forest Tral area of Pulwama district.
Security forces immediately launched a search operation in the forest area. During searches, militants hiding in the hideout fired upon the search party. The fire was retaliated but taking advantage of the dense forest, they managed to escape from the hideout.
SSP Awantipora Mohammad Zahid said that the operation against 4 JeM militants was launched in Pastuna forests of Tral after Dar was arrested from Narastan, Tral.
Zahid said that the militants hiding in a forest area managed to escape from their hideout after firing indiscriminately on the security forces. “Once the forces were laying the cordon of the hideout, the hiding militants fired indiscriminately upon the forces which was retaliated but taking advantage of dense forests/terrain the militants managed to escape from the hideout,” he said.
The militant hideout has, however, been busted at Pastona forests and huge quantity of ration and other materials were recovered from the hideout. Security forces took help of choppers during the searches. The search operation is going on.
In the meantime, clashes erupted during cordon and search operation launched by the security forces in Vijpara locality of Hajin in North Kashmir’s Bandipora district today.
The residents pelted stones on the security forces during the operation. Security forces fired dozens of tear smoke shells and pellets, triggering clashes.
Earlier, Army’s 13 RR Unit, SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF laid a siege around Vijpara locality following inputs about the presence of militants in the area.
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