Four militants, three OGWs apprehended in Handwara

Srinagar: Security forces Friday claimed to have busted a group of four militants and three over ground workers (OGWs) who were trying to revive militancy and motivate local boys to join militant outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba.
Senior Superintendent of police Handwara Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy (IPS) said in a search operation launched after specific inputs three hardcore over ground workers (OGWs) were apprehended, who on being interrogating disclosed a lead about four active militants in the area.
He said that after receiving some specific inputs about a group of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) trying to motivate local youth and misguide them to join militant outfit after availing arms and ammunition from Pakistan. “A joint operation was launched by Army, CRPF and SOG of Jammu and Kashmir police during which three hardcore over ground workers (OGWs) were apprehended. On being interrogated the trio disclosed lead about a group of four militants who were recently inducted in LeT outfit by them and armed them heavily”, he said.
He said on Friday early morning a joint operation was launched by Handwara Police (SOG), Army and CRPF during which all the four recently joined militants were arrested along with huge arms and ammunition in Chougal Handwara.
The arrested OGWs were the main recruiters of Lashkar-e-Toiba outfit who were in contact with Pakistan based module and availed arms and ammunition from there and would arm the local youth after giving them proper training, Dr. GVN Sundeep said.
He said initially three arrests were made with specific intelligence and surveillance gathering who on being interrogated disclosed the lead about four local youth who were motivated and armed by them (this OGW group).
He also said the arrested associates and militants were trying to revive militancy in north Kashmir and make it hot with their activities by getting local youth in their folds. Still the investigation is going on and more ammunition is likely to be recovered and more arrests will be days to come.
Official sources said that among the three over ground workers two were former militants who have attained full arms training from Pakistan and have a good knowledge about operating different weapons, its them who would give arms training to local youth and include them in militants folds. Meanwhile, police in its statement claimed the catch as massive successful operation with the arrest of three hardcore over ground workers (OGWs) from different parts of north Kashmir.
During the searches joint forces have recovered, 03 AK-47, 08-AK Magzines, 332 AK rounds, 12 Hand Grenade, 03 Pistol, 06 Pistol Magazine, 24 Pistol Rounds, Letter Pad of LeT outfit, reads the statement.
Police identified the arrested over ground workers (OGWs) as Azad Ahmad Bhat son of Ab Razak Bhat a resident of Shalpora Langate, Altaf Baba son of Salam Din a resident of Rafiabad Babagund and Irshad Ahmad a resident of Selikoot Uri in Baramulla. While the four LeT militants were identified as Pervaiz Ahmad Chopan son of Ab Rashid Chopan, Mudasir Ahmad Pandith son of Ab Rahman, Mohd Rafi Sheikh son of Mohd Ahsan Sheikh and Burhan Mushtaq son of Mushtaq Ahmad all residents of Langate Handwara. Police said that in this context police has registered a case under FIR Number 104/2020 U/s 120 B IPC, 7/25 I.A.Act., 16,18, 19,38,39 UAP Act at Police Station Handwara