Terrorist-stone pelter nexus unearthed in Kashmir

SRINAGAR - Two modules of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen were busted Sunday in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, thus unearthing a nexus between the guerrillas and the stone pelters who had resorted to violence in the Valley since June, police said.

Shafqat Ahmad Watali, deputy inspector general (DIG) of police (South Kashmir) told reporters Sunday that the arrest of Showkat Ahmad Dar alias Adnan alias Basharat, a resident of Benderpora Bijbehara (Anantnag) Dec 5 led to these modules being busted.

“It came to surface that there was a nexus between LeT and the other militant organisation (Hizbul Mujahideen) for instigating the youths to resort to violence”, he said.

Five militants were also arrested, he said.

“The arrest of militants has proved that there was a strong nexus between LeT and the mentors of violent protests here.

“The arrested militants used to get directions from a person named Nawaz Ahmad Lone, affiliated with Hurriyat Conference led by Syed Ali Geelani.

“All the arrested people, who are presently in police remand for cases of stone pelting and arson, have links with the militant organisations.

“The disclosure further revealed that these people were organising protests and people from their area used to block the national highway and resort to stone pelting”, the police officer said.

Police also recovered 35 kg of explosives, 75 detonators, 150 metres of safety fuse, one pistol with magazine, eleven rounds of pistol ammunition, two hand grenades, one hand grenade without lever, two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) fitted in pressure cookers, four combat uniforms and two pouches.

Police identified one of the arrested militants as Muzaffer Ahmad Wani alias Bulbul and said he was involved in grenade throwing at Bijbehara earlier this year.

The incident injured ten civilians and killed an eight-year old girl Urfi Jan.