Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police have busted two militant modules and prevented IED blasts after arresting seven persons who were mostly radicalised and drawn to militancy through social media, IGP Kashmir said on Wednesday.
Addressing a press Conference here on Wednesday IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar that in the last few days the Awantipore police have busted two militant modules which were planned for carrying out IED blasts. Kashmir’s Provincial Police Chief said “One Sahil Nazir, a BA first year student, was being motivated for many days through Telegram and other social media apps by militants to manage a second hand car,” adding that “he was paid money and the explosives being brought from North Kashmir were to be fitted on the car for carrying out the vehicle based IED attack.” Kumar said Nazir was arrested by the Awatipore police with the help of technical intelligence.
“On his questioning, two of his assistants Qaisar Ahmad from Pampore an Over Ground Worker (OGW) for two years and Mohammad Fayaz were arrested,” said IGP Kashmir, adding that “the car was recovered from the residence of Fayaz which was meant to be used for carrying out the IED blast. It is a Maruti car number (JK01 E 0690). A fourth militant associate Yasir Wani was also arrested.”
He said Sahil Nazir has given a confessional statement before the police that he carried out a grenade attack on the CRPF on January 25, 2021 in Pampore. Kumar said all the four have been arrested formally and investigations have started. Efforts are on to nab the OGW from North Kashmir who was to bring the IED, he said. “This is a big success and a preventive measure to stop an IED attack,” he said.
In a second incident, the IGP said the police busted a militant module that was planning to carry out an attack on the Municipal Corporation building in Awantipore on the orders of Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Omar Khanday from Pampore, who was involved in a militant attack on two policemen at Bhagat Chowk in Srinagar recently. “They were planning to carry out a ‘fidayeen’ (suicide) attack on the municipal Commissioner office at Pampore or plant an IED there,” he said.
Kumar said the police arrested one Musiab Gojri. Gojri during the questioning told police that a container with 25 kg explosives was at his residence. He gave the names of two of his associates, Muneeb Mushtaq Sheikh and Shahid Ahmad Shah, who have also been arrested. “They told the police that the parts required for making the IED were to come from North Kashmir,” IGP said. To a question on stone pelting at Nowhata in Srinagar last Friday, he said stone pelting won’t be tolerated. “Srinagar police have lodged an FIR, 15 boys have been identified from videos and they are being booked under the PSA (Public Security Act). 39 persons have been arrested so far.” he said
