Jahangir Lolabi
Kupwara, Sept 09 (GNS): Police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested a militant associate in Kupwara district of North Kashmir.
“Police received a reliable information that one youth namely Altaf Ahmed Bhat s/o Ali Mohammad Bhat r/o Kanthpora, Sogam has come in contact with Hizbul Mujahideen militants and is being lured to join their ranks,” a police official said.
However, the official said that anticipating that he might face arrest, the youth absconded from his home. “Strenuous efforts were made with cooperation from his family and police was successful in tracing and apprehending him.”
During “sustained questioning”, the official said that it came to fore that he was in touch with recently killed Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Hyder “through social media while the latter was motivating him to join their ranks.” He further disclosed that he is in possesion of gernade which was given to him to be lobbed against security forces as a test for joining militant ranks. “Last night, kupwara police and 47 RR Army recovered the grenade hidden by him, from a nearby nalla in presence of magistrate,” the official said, adding, “In this regard a case FIR no 126/2020 u/s 7/25 Arms Act, Ss. 18, 20 UAPA at PS Sogam has been registered.” Further investigation in the matter is on, the official added.(GNS)