Anantnag: Police arrested 6 militants and their associates along with pistols and grenades in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Friday evening.
Police sources said that initially two youths were apprehended in Doniwara area of Bijbehara. After being questioned the arrested youths revealed the names of their associates and accordingly during raids four more persons were arrested.
Police in this regard issued a statement stating that acting upon a specific input that the Lashker-e- Mustafa (parent organisation Jaish-e-Muhammad) was contemplating an attack in Anantnag and Bijbehara towns, joint multiple nakas were established by soldiers from 3 Rashtriya Rifles and Anantnag Police. At one of the MVCP established at Donipora Bijbehera, an Alto car K-10 bearing registration No. HP12C 0981 approached the Naka and it was signalled to stop but two persons in the car tried to escape but were apprehended tactfully.
On questioning they were identified as two freshly recruited militants named Imran Ahmed Hajam of Nathpora Khanabal and Irfan Ahmed Ahanger of Nandpora Khanabal. From their possession two pistols along with three magazines and 116 rounds were recovered. During questioning they confessed that they had joined LeM outfit recently and divulged that LeM was recently floated to give an impression that militancy in Kashmir was indigenous and not sponsored by Pakistan.
The police statement said that they further revealed they were close associates of Hidayat Malik alias Hasnain of Sharafpora Shopian, chief of LeM, Umer alias Wahid Khan of Shopian, and Aftab alias Ali Bhai of Dachipora, and they were carrying recee of the area to plant an IED in order to target security forces and Police.
“Later on, multiple raids were conducted at various locations and 4 over-ground workers including Bilal Ahmed Kumar of Haff Shopian, Tawfeeq Ahmed Lawey of Pushwara Anantnag, Muzamil Ahmed Wani of Muniward Anantnag and Aadil Ahmed Rather of Khandipari Harnag, affiliated with banned militant outfit JeM, were arrested.
“Two grenades, one kg explosive material and 30 rounds of AK-47 rifle were recovered from their possession. In this regard case under relevant sections of law has been registered in Police Station Bijbehara and investigation taken up,” the police statement said.

KR Desk