Four militants, six helpers held for killing three civilians in Baramulla
SRINAGAR: Police have arrested four alleged Lashkar-e-Taiba militants and their six helpers in the murder of three civilians on Wednesday, officials said.
Police said four militants had opened fire on three youths – Haseeb Nabi Khan, Irfan Ahmad Sheikh alias Asif Ahmad Sheikh and Mohd Asgar Sheikh alias Afsar Khan – at Iqbal Market, old town Baramulla, on the evening of April 30.
Police spokesperson identified the four militants directly involved in the crime as Suhaib Farooq Akhoon alias Abu Huraira, Mohsin Mushtaq Bhat alias Shera , Ajaz Ahmad Gojri alias Abu Umair and Bilal Ahmad Naja, residents of Baramulla. However, Akhoon and Bhat are still absconding.
Uzair Amin Bhat who provided the car to four militants to escape from the crime spot has also been arrested, police said.
“One kingpin of the module namely Nadeem Ahmad Dar alias Abu Osama, a resident of Sopore, along with Suhaib Akhoon had been the main motivators and commanders of this group. Nadeem supplied arms to the terrorists. He had also transported them to Baramulla from Sopore on April 25,” the spokesperson said.
Police have arrested Naseer Ahmad Mochi, a resident of Amargrah in Sopore, who had lobbed grenades on police, allegedly provided by Ajaz Ahmad Gojri.
“Three terrorists Suhaib Akhoon, Mohsin Mushtaq and Ajaz Gojiri opened fire using AK-47 rifles while Bilal Najar used a Chinese pistol to commit the crime,” the spokesperson said, adding that Suhaib visited Pakistan in July 2017 on a valid passport and received training.
SWIFT ACTION ON TIP-OFFS
“Since all the terrorists involved in this crime are locals of Baramulla, they were easily spotted by eyewitnesses, who immediately reported to police,” the spokesperson said.
“Baramulla police swiftly acted on the tip-offs provided by the locals and several teams were tasked to carry out the searches in the forest area of Drangbal-Hajibal for nabbing the culprits. The entire area from forests of Hajibal to Drangbal stone quarries including Kirmani Colony, Drangbal, were put under constant watch,” the spokesperson said.
The official said during their search they tactfully overpowered a militant near his hideout when the militants opened fire.
According to the official, Najar, a resident of Banglow Bagh, Baramulla, was tracking the movement of these three youths. Police also said Aijaz Gojri had changed his appearance on the day of crime to “create the impression of being a Pakistani”.
‘OUT TO CREATE TERROR IN NORTH KASHMIR’
“Moreover, interrogation of these terrorists revealed that LeT terrorist handlers in Pakistan had given clear instructions to them to create atmosphere of terror in north Kashmir range by eliminating as many civilians as possible who are perceived to be friendly with government or security forces. This also explains the killings by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in other parts of north Kashmir including Hajin and Sopore ,” the spokesman said.
An official claimed that the group along with other militants in Sopore-Handwara belt is “commanded by one Pakistani terrorist operating by code name Abu-Maaz.”
Police have recovered two AK-47 rifles, two pistols, four hand grenades and other ammunition from the arrested.