10 Ex-terrorists formally arrested in JKLF-Hurriyat revival conspiracy case in J&K: Police

Srinagar, Jul 10 (PTI) Ten former terrorists were formally arrested on Monday in a case related to the conspiracy of reviving banned Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) and Hurriyat conference in the valley, police said.

Some more arrests are likely as the investigation in the case is in full swing, police said in a statement here.

Earlier on Sunday, the Srinagar Police in a tweet said “A search was conducted on the basis of credible info about a meeting of some ex-trts (terrorists) of JKLF & erstwhile separatists in a hotel in Srinagar. They were brought to Kothibagh PS for verification. Inquiry has started, prima facie it came out that they were planning to revive JKLF & Hurriyat.”

Police said a case under various sections of unlawful activities (Prevention) Act and Indian Penal code already stands registered in police station Kothibagh in the heart of the city.

“The arrested persons and others were planning to revive these organisations (JKLF and Hurriyat) on the directions of Pakistan based handlers. This meeting was an overt attempt to start working for revival of these moribund organisations,” police said.

They said an initial investigation has also revealed that they were in touch with entities abroad, and few of them were even members of secessionist groups like Kashmir Global Council headed by Farooq Siddiqui and Raja Muzaffer of JKLF.

“Under the garb of manufactured pretext, this meeting which took place, the real agenda of the meeting was discussing strategy of revival.

“Initial investigation has also revealed that a similar preliminary meeting took place on June 13, which was attended by most of them,” the statement said.

Police have identified the 10 arrested persons as Mohammad Yaseen Bhat of Nigeenbagh, Mohammad Rafiq Pahloo of Natipora, Shams-u-din Rehmani of Lalbazar, Khurshid Ahmad Bhat of Rawalpora, Sajad Hussain Gul of Panthachowk, Firdous Ahmad Shah of Abiguzar, and Parray Hassan Firdous of Lawaypora all from Srinagar district, and Jahangeer Ahmad Bhat and Shabir Ahmad Dar of Sopore from Baramulla district, and Sohail Ahmad Mir of Peerbagh in Budgam district.

Jahangeer Ahmad Bhat is the son of former Hurriyat Conference chairman Abdul Gani Bhat.