Narco-militant module busted, 5 arrested in Kupwara: Police

Srinagar: Five persons were arrested in Kupwara for running a cross-border militant module with narcotics and arms recovered from them.
Addressing a news conference the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kupwara, Yougal Manhas said that in a joint operation with Army’s 9 para field regiment and intelligence agencies, a cross-border militant module was busted leading to arrest of five individuals.
He said that two individuals in this particular militant module had gone for arms training in Pakistan and were operating it from there.
“Both residents of Karnah including Manzoor Ahmad Sheikh and Qazi Mohammad Khushal were in touch with their associates here. Associates from this side of the border include Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, Khursheed Ahmad Rather (Teacher) Mudasir Shafi, Ghulam Sarwar, and Qazi Fazal are all residents of Karnah tehsil.”
Initially, Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, the SSP said, was detained, leading to recovery of an AK 47 rifle, 2 Pistols and some rounds.
During further investigation into the case, Manhas said it came to the fore that this is a cross-border militant module and few more people were involved in it.
With further investigation, he said that four more associates of this particular militant module were arrested leading to recovery of 5 AK Rifles, 5 Magazines, and some more incriminating material.
The SSP said that both Manzoor and Qazi Khushal in the mid-1990s had crossed over to the other side of the border for arms training. “Given their geographical knowledge, their militant outfit tasked them to supply arms and ammunition to further provide help to militant ecosystem.”
According to Manhas, the investigation into the case is at an initial stage and more arrests and recovery can’t be ruled out at this stage.
Further investigation into the case, he said, can even lead to more names and details.
Manhas said that this year a cross-border sponsored narcotics shipment along with arms and ammunition were recovered in Keran sector.
“The consignment was sent by a Keran resident Idress Lone living across. The consignment weighing 10.05 kilogram was recovered timely following specific inputs,” the SSP said.
He said that the estimated cost of the recovered narcotics consignment is about Rs 490 crore in international market