J&K police arrests militants involved in civilian murders

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police on Wednesday claimed that the militants involved in the murder of three civilians in north-western town of Baramulla last month have been arrested. It claimed that accused were part of a module which had been assigned by their Pakistani handlers to kill people known to be 'friendly' to the security forces or government. It said that the accused are associated with outlawed Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) who were arrested during a search operations in woods on the outskirts of Baramulla town.

During the interrogation of the four accused and their six overground associates it has been revealed that the LeT handlers in Pakistan had given them “clear instructions” to create “atmosphere of terror” in north and north-western Kashmir “by eliminating as many civilians as possible who are perceived to be friendly with government or security forces”, a statement issued by the police here said. It added, “This also explains the killings that have taken place in other parts of north Kashmir including Hajin and Sopore were done by LeT terrorists”.

The statement said that the group along with other militants in Sopore-Handwara belt are commanded by one Pakistani terrorist operating by code name Abu Maaz. “Other known terrorist of this group Suhaib Akhoon had visited Pakistan in July last year on a valid Indian passport and visa issued by Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi and had been trained to handle arms at a LeT camp based in Faisalabad, Pakistan. After returning back via Wagah border he formally joined the LeT ranks,” the statement said.

On the evening of April 30, gunmen had shot dead three persons Asgar Sheikh, Haseeb Nabi Khan and Irfan Ahmed Sheikh in Kakar Hamam locality deep inside old Baramulla town, about 58-km from here. The police had immediately after the incident said that preliminary investigation revealed complicity of LeT cadres including one Pakistan based and two locals.

On Wednesday, during the investigations it surfaced that those involved in the gruesome killings include Suhaib Farooq Akhoon, Mohsin Mushtaq Bhat alias Shera, Ajaz Ahmad Gojri alias Abu Umair, and Bilal Ahmad Najar alias Abu Sameer-all residents of Baramulla who have since been arrested from a forest area.

The police said that during a search operation launched in the woods of Baramulla, the militants hiding there opened fire. “However, the search party in their measured response tactfully overpowered one terrorist who received minor injuries in this incident. The injured terrorist was immediately given medical treatment and the hideout in which four terrorists had been hiding was busted and some arms and ammunition were also recovered,” it said.

It said the first militants Bilal Ahmad Najar alias Sameer was arrested after joint team of police, the Army and the CRPF overpowered him near cremation ground earmarked for Sikh community in the vicinity of Baramulla’s Bangla Bagh.