The police in Kashmir claimed to have arrested two local militants of Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit from north Kashmir’s Baramulla town who were “involved” in a midnight attack on an Army convoy in August that resulted into death of two soldiers and a policeman. A police spokesman said that the duo was arrested in a joint operation by police, paramilitary CRPF and the Army.
Identified as Safeer Ahmad Bhat and Farhaan Fayaz liloo, the two militants were part of a Jaish Mohammad module operating in Baramulla town and adjacent areas headed by a Pakistani militant Khalid.
An AK series rifle and a pistol along-with some arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession. Further investigation into the matter is going on, police said.
Sources said that Jaish module has been active in the north Kashmir town for the past several months.
Meanwhile, the authorities lifted curfew from six police station areas of capital Srinagar but the normal life continued to be hit due to shutdown in the valley since July 9, a day after security forces shot dead Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani and his two associates in south Kashmir.
The authorities did not allow senior Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Geelani to “address the nation”. Geelani, in his weekly protest calendar had announced to address the people on 11 am. However, his residence at uptown Srinagar where he is under house arrest was sealed off and his family members too were not allowed to go inside. The telephone lines to his residence have already been snapped. A spokesman of Geelani said that police installed frequency jammers outside the residence to block his communication.
A police official said the situation in Srinagar and elsewhere in the Valley remained under control. On Friday, a youngster was killed during clashes between protestors and security forces in Budgam district of central Kashmir.