More articles by

Tariq Bhat
Tariq Bhat

SRINAGAR

Hindu member of LeT arrested in Kashmir

PTI7_10_2017_000111B Sandeep Kumar Sharma of Lashkar e-Toiba | PTI

Kashmir police, on Monday, said it has arrested Sandeep Kumar Sharma, a Hindu militant of Lashkar-e-Toiba, who took part in the attack on police and looting of banks and  ATMs in South Kashmir.

A resident of Uttar Pradesh, Sharma, police said, is a close aide of slain Lashkar commander Bashir Ahmad Wani alias Bashir Lashkari.

Sharma who operated as Adil was part of the group killed station house officer of Achabal police station Feroz Ahmad Dar along with five other cops on June 16. 

Lashkari and his Pakistani associate Abu Maaz was killed in an encounter at Brinty, Dailgam village in south Kashmir, on July 1.

Sharma had masqueraded as one of the 17 civilians taken hostage by Lashkari in the house he was hiding on July 1.

Police became suspicious after he was rescued during the encounter.

"The standoff at Brinty continued for four hours as the aim was to rescue to all civilians before the operation could be launched against Lashkari and his associate,'' said IGP Kashmir, Muneer Khan. "After the operation, we started questioning him and he spilled the beans."

The investigation has revealed that Sharma came to the valley for the first time in 2012. He would stay at different places in Kashmir in summers and work as a welder

"In winters, he used to travel to Patiala for employment where he came in contact with Shahid Ahmad of Kulgam, who was also working in Punjab.” Khan elaborated.

He said in January, Sharma returned to Kashmir and formally joined the militant ranks formally.


"With the help of one Muneeb, Sharma met a hardcore terrorist Shakoor Ahmad Dar of Lashkar of Supat," Khan said. "His meeting with another terrorist Shakoor was arranged by Muneeb and has associates and that was the beginning of criminal activities."

IGP said militants utilised the services of Sandeep for looting ATMs and the spoils were shared.

He said the UP resident was involved in other immoral activities in villages.

"He became a hardcore terrorist after he took part in three actions, including the one in which Dar and five others constables were martyred," Khan said. "He also took part in the ambush on the Army convoy at Lower Munda in which one Army jawan was killed and also in weapons snatching from the guard of a retired high court judge."

IGP said Sharma used his non-state subject status to camouflage his activities.

"He managed it very well till the time he was caught. Terrorists of Lashkar used him very frequently in carrying out their activities," IGP said.

Police have also arrested his associate Muneeb Shah and efforts are on to apprehend other militants who were part of this module.

This browser settings will not support to add bookmarks programmatically. Please press Ctrl+D or change settings to bookmark this page.

Related Reading

    Show more