In a huge success to counter terrorism in the Valley, the Jammu and Kashmir Police along with a special team of investigators have busted a major module of the newly formed terror group The Resistance Front (TRF), also known as JK Fighters, under the patronage of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
A special team included Sopore Police, 22 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and CRPF. Four different teams were constituted each headed by police officers of Rafiabad and Sopore.
Six terrorists arrested, arms racket busted
The police swung into action, after receiving credible information regarding illegal delivery of arms and ammunition, smuggling near District Hospital Sopore. In the operation, six terrorists were arrested and a huge cache of arms and ammunition were recovered from them.
The special team reached the hospital where they arrested four smugglers who were identified as Ahtisham Farooq Malik resident of Mumkak Mohalla Batpora Sopore, Shafqat Ali Tagoo of Jalalabad Sopore, Nisar Ahmad Ganai of Pujipora Krankshivan Sopore and Musaib Hassan Bhat of Mumkak Mohalla Batpora Sopore. They also confiscated materials one pistol and 12 hand grenades from their possession.
The interrogation
During interrogation, the arrested persons revealed that they were in contact with Pakistani-based LeT handler named 'Andrew Jones' alias 'Khan Bilal'/'Khan Bhai'.
The terrorists further revealed that 'Jones' was operating, The Resistance Front or JK Fighters, a newly formed terrorist organisation and wanted them to recruit local youth for terrorist activities in Sopore area and especially North Kashmir areas.
The team further found that the terrorists received a consignment of illegal arms from Kabeer Ahmad Lone of Keran Bala, Kupwara. The arms were transported by Shafqat and Nisar from Kupwara and handed them to Ahtisham at Kupwara Crossing Sopore.
After two days Ahtisham took six hand grenades and one pistol with ammunition from Musaib. Along with Shafqat, Ahtisham delivered four hand grenades and one pistol to an unknown person at Markaz Sopore, who actively joined TRF in Andergam Pattan and two hand grenades to another unknown person near Guru Petrol Pump Sopore.
All these directions for distribution of arms and ammunition had come from the Pakistan-based 'Jones'. The group told police that they were also going to receive a consignment of six AK-47 Rifles with ammunition from Sharafat Ahmad Khan of Keran Payeen Kupwara.
The mission of terrorists revealed
Their main purpose, the terrorists told interrogators, was to accumulate arms and ammunition and go for target killings of politicians and police personnel, according to reports.
During the course of the investigation, Kabeer Ahmad Lone was identified and arrested. During his sustained interrogation, he revealed that the weapons which he delivered to Shafqat at Kupwara were provided by Sharafat Khan of Keran Bala Kupwara, a class IV employee at government hospital Keran.
The information led to the arrest of four people from Kupwara. Sharafat revealed that he along with Naseer Mir and Tanveer Bhat, both residents of Keran Kupwara, received a consignment of arms and ammunition from across and dumped it near Cobra Post, Keran, Kupwara.
Arms and ammunition recovered
On the disclosure of Sharafat Khan, a joint police party from PD Sopore and District Kupwara along with 6RR conducted searches in Keran area of Kupwara and recovered incriminating materials & arms and ammunition including eight AK rifles, 25 AK magazines, 750 AK rounds, nine pistols, 16 pistol magazines, 351 pistol rounds, 77 grenades and 21 detonator fuses.
A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation into the matter is in progress.
