Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 14: Police today arrested a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant along with his PoK wife and three children from Jogi Morh naka near village Marhot in Surankote tehsil of Poonch district, where they reached after crossing through Sonali border from Nepal in Uttar Pradesh while police recovered arms, ammunition and explosives from Arnas in Reasi district and Balol Nullah near Bari Brahmana in two separate search operations.
SSP Poonch Jatinder Singh Johar said that Abdul Gani son of Mohammad Hussain, a resident of Marhot in Surankote area of Poonch district, who was an active LeT militant in 2000 before crossing over to Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) was arrested from Jogi Morh naka at Marhot, where he returned from Pakistan after 15 years along with wife and three children.
Police have taken Abdul Gani into custody for sustained questioning. A case has been registered against Gani and his family members at Surankote police station for investigations, Johar said.
Gani has returned along with his wife Kausar Bi, a resident of PoK, whose family had migrated to PoK during 1965 from Rajouri and three children Fatima,6, Irfan,4 and Umran,2.
Reports said that Gani was an active LeT militant in the border district of Poonch since 2000 when he had crossed over to PoK for further training. He remained active militant in PoK but later married Kausar Bi and was now lying low.
He had crossed Indo-Nepal border from Sonali in Uttar Pradesh despite strict surveillance on the border by the SSB and reached his house by travelling in train, bus and other transport. He had reached Nepal from Pakistan by air along with his family members, reportedly on fake visa and passports.
It may be mentioned here that after formation of BJP Government at the Centre, strict instructions had gone to the SSB on Nepal border not to allow any militant to cross the border into India. During UPA regime, a number of militants had entered India from Nepal border and reached Kashmir under the garb of Rehabilitation Policy of previous NC-Congress Government.
Meanwhile, troops of Talwara based Rashtriya Rifles under Uniform Force based at Reasi and Arnas police today conducted joint search operation in Panasa forests of Arnas in Reasi district and recovered a consignment of arms, ammunition and explosives.
Recoveries included one AK-56 rifle, four AK magazines, one pistol with one magazine, one Rocket Propelled Grenade Launcher, 46 cartridges of AK-56 ammunition, nine fired cases of AK-56 ammunition and one hand held radio set.
“Timely recovery of arms and ammunition has thwarted possibility of any untoward incident in the areas,” Defence spokesman Lt Col Manish Mehta said.
Meanwhile, Railways Police recovered live mortar shell at Balol Nullah in Bari Brahmana area close to the railway track and informed Army and police, which rushed to the spot.
After taking all precautions, the experts of 92 Brigade Bari Brahmana with the assistance of local police defused the explosive device, averting what could have been the major tragedy.
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