The Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Thursday that it averted a major terror attack ahead of the Republic Day after busting a module of the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). Five persons, who were allegedly involved in recent incidents of terror in Srinagar, have been arrested.
Police said a major haul of explosives, including gelatin sticks, explosives, detonators, arms, explosive body vests, batteries and nitric acid, were recovered in searches conducted based on the disclosures of those arrested.
Those arrested were identified as Aijaz Ahmed Sheikh, Umar Hameed Sheikh, Imtiyaz Ahmed Chikla alias Imran, Sahil Farooq Gojri and Naseer Ahmed Mir, all residents of Srinagar.
V.K. Birdi, deputy inspector general of police, Central Kashmir Range, said the five men, who were were working towards executing sensational incidents like terror attacks and causing IED explosions, were nabbed in two phases.
According to police, the JeM module was behind grenade blasts in Srinagar after August 5 when the Narendra Modi government abrogated provisions of Article 370 that had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
Police nabbed Ajaz Ahmad Sheikh, a driver by profession, and Umar Hameed Sheikh, a street vendor, in connection with a grenade explosion on January 8 near Habak crossing near Hazratbal area of the city. During the investigation, they admitted their role in the incident and provided leads to a similar attack near Kashmir University on November 26 last year.
More raids were conducted and three more persons were apprehended—Imtiyaz Ahmad Chikla alias Imran, a sports shop owner, Sahil Farooq Gojri who has a private job and Naseer Mir, a businessman.
LeT associate arrested
In another incident, an associate of Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists was arrested from Awantipora area of Pulwama district. He has been identified as Ishfaq Ahmad Dar alias Maheed resident of Dangerpora-Padgampora in Pulwama district.
As per the investigation, Dar was involved in threatening and intimidating civilians residing in the area, a police spokesman said adding he was also involved in providing logistic support to LeT cadres operating in Awantipora.
With inputs from PTI
