Baramulla: 3 ‘hybrid’ terrorists arrested in sarpanch murder case

THE TERRORISTS HAD BEEN CONSPIRING FOR ABOUT SIX TO SEVEN MONTHS, SAY POLICE

SRINAGAR: Three ‘hybrid’ terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit have been arrested in connection with the killing of a sarpanch in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir in April, police said on Monday.

“On April 15, terrorists had fired upon Manzoor Ahmad Bangroo, sarpanch of Goshbugh B at Chanderhama orchards in Wussan area of Palhallan in Pattan and his body was recovered,” SSP, Baramulla, Rayees Mohammad Bhat said.

After the attack, searches were launched by security forces and a case was also registered, he said. “On the basis of various leads, investigation was vigorously pursued... After a lot of hardwork, we have been able to crack this conspiracy,” the SSP said. He said the three hybrid terrorists who have been arrested had been conspiring for about six to seven months.

“The current case has links to a grenade attack in Palhallan highway last year. The main conspirator in the case was Mohammad Afzal of Barthipora, Naidkhai in Hanjin area of Bandipora. In this case as well, the links to Afzal have come forward. “Various other attacks and modules have been tracked to this individual. This individual is the sort of fountain-head character who was directing multiple sleeper cells and hybrid terrorist modules, providing them arms and ammunition as well as executing these attacks,” he said.The arrested terrorists had also obtained arms and ammunition from Afzal before he was arrested, Bhat said.

He identified them as Noor Mohammad Yatoo, Mohammad Rafiq Parray and Mohammad Akbar Parray, all residents of Goshbugh, Pattan. “The three terrorists divulged the plot which was directed by LeT terrorists Yusuf Kantru and Hilal Sheikh (both killed at Malwah last month) and executed by recently-infiltrated terrorists Gulzar Ganaie (killed in an encounter at Bandipora) and Umar Lone of Wussan (still active and at large),” he said.