Terrorist involved in killing of Parihar bros, RSS activist arrested

JAMMU: A Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, who was allegedly involved in the killing of BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother and RSS activist Chandrakant Sharma and his PSO, was arrested by the NIA in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district on Wednesday, police said.

The terrorist has been identified as Rustam Ali.

Kishtwar senior superintendent of police (SSP) Harmeet Singh Mehta said, “He was involved in the killing of Parihar brothers, RSS leader Chandrakant Sharma and his body guard. He was arrested on Tuesday and handed over to the NIA, which has now shifted him to Jammu.”

Sources said Rustam Ali was a close associate of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, who was killed in an encounter with security forces earlier this month.

Parihar brothers were killed from point blank range in November 2018 and RSS leader Chandrakant Sharma and his body guard were killed in April 2019. Both the killings had triggered protests in Kishtwar town.

Rustam’s arrest came two days after the killing of a Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Tahir Bhat, by police and security forces in Doda district. While Tahir was said to have been assigned the task of recruiting local youth into militant ranks in Doda district, Rustam had allegedly been recruiting youth in the adjoining Kishtwar district.

Tahir was also allegedly involved in the killing of RSS leader and his PSO. After his killing on Sunday, the police had reportedly seized an AK 47 rifle from his possesion.

After killing Tahir Bhat, security forces have now launched a manhunt to nab the oldest surviving terrorist, Jehangir Saroori aka Mohammad Amin Bhat as crackdown against the terror outfit continues in Jammu and Kashmir.