J&K Police bust inter-State LeT module; 5 held
Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have busted an inter-State module of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Srinagar, arresting five individuals, including two Pakistani terrorists.
Among the prize catch, the Jammu and Kashmir Police successfully nabbed Abdullah alias Abu Hureira, a key operative who had allegedly evaded security agencies for nearly 16 years, and another Pakistani terrorist identified as Usman alias Khubaib.
At least three other Srinagar residents, identified as Mohammad Naqeeb Bhat, Adil Rashid Bhat and Ghulam Mohammad Mir, have also been taken into custody for allegedly providing logistical support, including shelter and food, to the LET operatives in the valley.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the module was involved in facilitating movement, logistics and possibly financial channels for foreign terrorists.
The police authorities launched the secret operation after receiving credible intelligence about the presence of LeT operatives. It is learnt that these LeT terrorists were tracked based on their digital footprints. Senior police authorities have not ruled out the involvement of a few other active operatives in the terror network and have expanded the scope of operations beyond Jammu and Kashmir.
To crush down the terror operatives inside their safe hideouts, the Jammu and Kashmir Police have also expanded operations outside the Union Territory, including in Punjab, with assistance from central agencies. Police suspected these operatives were relying on forged identities and support structures built over time.
The police authorities have seized some electronic devices and also recovered incriminating material during the multiple interstate raids.
At present, the investigating agencies are scanning the same material to bust the inter-State terror module.
Official sources claimed some of the active overground workers are lying low to avoid coming on the radar of the security agencies. A massive manhunt has been launched to identify and arrest all those involved to crush the backbone of the terror eco-system.
