Two Hizbul men steal rifle, fire at cops in Rajouri; held
SEIZURE An INSAS rifle, 3 magazines, 49 live cartridges recovered from the duo
JAMMU : Two militants of the Hizbul Mujahideen were arrested on Monday after they looted weapons from a police barrack and opened fire at a security check-post in Jammu’s Rajouri while escaping to Shopian in south Kashmir, officials said.
“They came Shopian on Sunday, looted weapons in the night (Sunday-monday) and opened fire at the checkpoint in Thannamandi ,” said Rajouri SSP, Yougal Manhas.
“We have arrested the duo and recovered arms and ammunition from them,” he added.
Manhas said a joint team of the state police, Indian Army and Central Police Reserve Force (CRPF) were checking vehicles at the check-post when the two men in a motorcycle were signalled to stop.
They, however, sped away in the dark and abandoned their motorcycle at some distance.
“While fleeing they opened fire on security personnel, who were chasing them,” the senior police officer said.
The security personnel overpowered them after a while and recovered an INSAS rifle, three magazines and 49 live cartridges as well as two empty cartridges from the shootout site.
The arrested men have been identified as Mukhtar Ahmed of Zainapura and Aijaz Ahmed Parray of Chitragama in Shopian. Both are 22 years old.
“During the interrogation, both of them disclosed that they stole the weapon and magazines from the police barrack by taking away the box of a police official in which the rifle and magazines were kept. They had to break the lock,” police sources said.
The arms and ammunition were stolen from a police barrack at Shahadra Sharief shrine in Rajouri. They were in constant touch with self-styled Hizbul commander Zeenat-ul-islam, who operates in south Kashmir, the official said.