Two militants behind several grenade attacks arrested in Poonch: Police

JAMMU: Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday claimed to have solved several grenade attack cases in Poonch with the arrest of two militants of the Jammu and Kashmir Ghaznavi Force (JKGF) in the district.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu Zone, Anand Jain said the arrest of Abdul Aziz and Manwar Hussain of Hari village is a “very big achievement” for the security agencies.

In a joint operation on Friday, police along with troops of 37 Rashtriya Rifles and 38th Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) nabbed Aziz and recovered two hand grenades from his possession. During investigation, one more grenade was recovered from his house and his accomplice Hussain was also arrested along with a pistol, one magazine and nine rounds, the ADGP told reporters in Poonch.

“They are part of a larger conspiracy and tried to create terror in Poonch district by carrying out grenade attacks at various locations, including a temple, a gurdwara, an Army camp and a hospital, to harm brotherhood,” he said.

Jain said with the arrest of the two militants, who had links across the border, all five cases of grenade attacks that took place in the district since November last year have been solved.

“The busting of the JKGF module is a very big achievement for all security agencies,” he said, adding that the militants are being questioned.

The questioning of the militants so far has revealed that they received four consignments of arms, ammunition and Rs 1.5 lakh from their handlers across the border, police said.

They were trained in handling pistols and also fired a few rounds for practice in the forest area, they said.

According to police, Aziz was involved in throwing grenades at the Shiv temple in Surankote on November 15 last year; Gurdwara Mahant Sahib in Poonch on March 26; Army sentry post in Kamsar, Poonch in June; and a school ground near CRPF sentry post on August 14.

Hussain had lobbed a grenade near district hospital quarters on July 18, police said.

The two militants also pasted anti-national posters at different locations in Surankote, including government high school in Hari, Dhundak, Sanai, Eidgah-Hari and other adjoining areas. These posters were printed at Hussain’s house and pasted in August last year on the directions of their handler to create fear among the public, police said.

On September 12, another member of this module, Mohd Shabir, a resident of Daryala, was arrested with a large quantity of explosives. Aziz had supplied the explosives to him, they said.

ADGP Jain said the operations against militants, including foreign mercenaries, will continue.

“We are also working to destroy the support base of the militants and will ensure attachment of properties of the upper ground workers,” he said.

Jain lauded the security forces for ensuring the peaceful conduct of the Budha Amarnath Yatra and Lok Sabha and assembly elections. (PTI)