Jammu & Kashmir police books module of Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit

Jammu and Kashmir police on Saturday claimed to have busted a module of Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit with the arrest of a militant and nine others who were “influencing” young and innocent boys in Baramulla district to join militancy.

“With the arrest of one militant Irshad Ahmad Shah of Seelu village of Sopore in Baramulla, police has been able to bust a huge network who were spearheading militant activities and recruitment of local boys in Baramulla and Sopore. A total of nine persons were arrested so far,” a police official told PTI here.

He said Shah alias “Tanveer”, who along with two other absconders are involved in killing of a civilian Eidul Amin Mir of Behrampora, has been active with Hizbul Mujahideen for more than two years.

The conspiracy to kill Mir was hatched in the house of overground Hizb worker Azhar Imtiyaz of Behrampora who was also arrested, the officer said adding efforts are on to arrest two other militants involved in the killing.

He said Shah’s arrest led to the busting of the network of overground activists of the outfit who were aiding and abetting insurgency besides luring young boys towards militancy.

“In a series of raids, police assisted by security forces has arrested nine persons from different parts of the district,” the spokesman said and identified the arrested persons as Mudasir Ahmad Ganie and Abdul Majeed Dar of Ladoora village, Ajaz Ahmad Shah of Shangergund, Azhar Imtiyaz of Behrampora, Ghulam Mustafa Lone of Thagund, Showkat Ahmad Mir and Aejaz Ahmad Bhat of Bomai and Mohammad Yasin Tantray and Abdul Majid Shah of Wadoora Payeen.

Referring to the killing of two hardcore militants of Hizbul Mujahideen in an encounter in Baramulla on February 4, the officer said the investigations revealed that one of the slain militants - Azhar Khan of Trich village in Kupwara - was a “radical ideologue” of the outfit who with the other killed militant had gone to Pakistan on passports and received arms training there.

“Both these militants were active in Sopore and Baramulla and with the help of this busted overground superstructure were enticing young boys from Sopore and Baramulla for militancy,” the officer said.

“Based on the information which was generated during the course of these investigations, some boys who were being recruited for militant activities were counselled and handed over to their families thus saving their lives,” the officer said, appealing parents to watch over their children and not to let them “fall into the trap of militant propaganda”.