J&K: Police nab Lashkar associate in Bandipora; recover hand grenade

Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 9 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday claimed it arrested a terror associate of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of proscribed Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba during a checking in Kehnusa village of Bandipora district.

The development on the heels of the Jammu & Kashmir Police arresting three terror associates of the banned outfit from Srinagar, who, the police said, were planning to “carry out terrorist activities” in the city.

Acting on a tip-off, Bandipora police said it started naka checking at Kehnusa village on Monday and apprehended the terror associate.

Upon further frisking, police said it recovered one hand grenade from his possession. 

“Bandipora police arrested one terror associate of the TRF outfit yesterday along with one hand grenade during naka checking at Kehnusa Bandipora,” Bandipora Police said in a statement.

Following the incident, an FIR was filed at the Bandipora police station.

Further investigation is underway.

After the earlier arrests in Srinagar, the police had informed through a statement that the trio was “planning to carry out terrorist activities”.

Police said they recovered 3 hand grenades, 10 pistol rounds, 25 AK-47 rounds and other incriminating materials from the accused. The arrests were made by a team of Srinagar Police.

Further, according to the police, the arrested terrorists were identified as Imran Ahmad Najar, a resident of Bulbul Bagh, Baramulla; Waseem Ahmad Matta, a resident of Qamarwari, Srinagar; and Wakeel Ahmad Bhat from Pazalpora, Bijbehara.

“A small team of Srinagar Police arrested three terrorist associates linked with proscribed terror outfit TRF, an offshoot of proscribed terror outfit LeT in Natipora area of Srinagar,” the police had said.

Acting on a tip-off, a team of Srinagar police put up a checkpoint at Hannibal Natipora and arrested the trio, the statement informed further.

Wakeel Ahmad Bhat was earlier an active terrorist linked with the proscribed terrorist outfit Islamic State Jammu and Kashmir (ISJK) and was lodged in jail for two years before being released from Central Jail on bail, police said.

Police said during preliminary investigation, they came to know that the trio had collected explosives and ammunition from active terrorists of TRF for “carrying out terrorist activities in Srinagar city”.

A case under sections 3 and 4 of the Explosives Act, Section 25 of the Arms Act and sections 18, 23 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was registered at Chanapora police station against the three terror associates.