Jammu: Government forces busted a module of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) tasked to plant a vehicle-based IED on the eve of Independence Day here by arresting four militants and their associates, officials said on Saturday.

Giving details, a police spokesman said that four Jaish militants, including an Uttar Pradesh resident, and their associates were arrested by the Jammu Police in a drive to root out the militant presence in the district.

“They were planning collection of arms dropped by drones and supply to active militants of Jaish-e-Mohammed in Kashmir valley; planting a vehicle-based IED in Jammu before 15th August and reconnaissance of important targets in other parts of the country,” he said.

Muntazir Manzoor alias Saifulla of Prichoo Pulwama, a member of JeM, was the first to be arrested in this chain and from him one pistol, one magazine, eight live rounds and two Chinese hand grenades were seized, the spokesman said. His truck used for transporting weapons to Kashmir was also seized, he added.

Subsequently, three more Jaish militants, including Ijahar Khan alias Sonu Khan of Mirdan Mohalla in Kandala of Shamli district, Uttar Pradesh, were arrested, the spokesman said.

Khan disclosed that a JeM commander in Pakistan by the name of Munazir alias Shahid had asked him to collect weapons from near Amritsar which would be dropped by a drone, he said.

Khan was also asked by Jaish to do reconnaissance of Panipat oil refinery which he did and sent videos to Pakistan. He was then tasked to do the reconnaissance of Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi but was arrested before he could accomplish the task, the spokesman added.

Another militant Touseef Ahmed Shah alias Showket of Jeff area of Shopian district was tasked by JeM commander Shahid and another Jaish militant by the name Abrar in Pakistan to take up accommodation in Jammu which he did, the spokesman said.

He was then asked to procure a second-hand motorcycle for causing an IED blast at Jammu. The IED for this purpose would be dropped by a drone, the spokesman said.

Shah was arrested before he could complete this task, he added.

Jahangir Ahmed Bhat of Bandzoo area of Pulwama district has been arrested in the case and he is a fruit merchant from Kashmir who was constantly in touch with Shahid in Pakistan and had introduced Ijahgar Khan to him, the police official said.

Bhat was further doing recruitment for JeM in Kashmir and in the rest of the country, he said.

Further investigation on the work of the remaining module is in progress, police said.

PTI

Press Trust of India