Srinagar, May 09: Police on Wednesday claimed to have arrested four militants responsible for the killing of three civilians in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district last month.
In a statement, a police spokesman said that the militants were arrested following days of searches in the area.
“Multiple parties of police, army and CRPF were launched in the area in multiple directions to track the culprits. The whole area from Hajibal forest area to Drangbal stone quarries including Kirmani Colony Drangbal were put under continues surveillance for many days,” he said.
The spokesman said that an operation was launched in Hajibal-Drangbal forest area after suspicious movement was observed.
He said that the hiding militants fired at a forces’ party that approached them.
“One militant was overpowered and captured alive in live action in injured condition. The militant was immediately given medical treatment and the hideout in which four militants had been hiding was busted,” he said, adding that arms and ammunition were recovered from the hideout.
“One more militant Bilal Ahmad Najar alias Sameer, son of Ghulam Ahmad Najar of Banglow Bagh Baramulla was apprehended near cremation ground of Sikh community located in the same area after being overpowered by teams of police, army and CRPF.”
The spokesman said that the involvement of Lashkar-e-Toiba militant outfit was established in the killing of three civilians during the questioning of the accused.
He said that three militants, identified as Suhaib Akhoon, Aijaz Gojree and Bilal Najar, shot the three civilians dead.
“All the weapons of offence, i.e. 02 AK rifles and one pistol have been recovered and empty cartridges recovered from the scene of crime have same markings as of those of live cartridges recovered from the apprehended militants and their hideout,” he said.
The spokesman said the militants fled from the scene in a car provided by a Baramulla resident, who has also been arrested.
“During sustained interrogation of these arrested militants, the police and security forces were also able to unearth an LeT module operating in Sopore-Baramulla belt and in all four active militants of the LeT have been apprehended along with six other Over Ground Workers (OGWs),” he said.
Pertinently, on the evening of 30th April at about 8:35 pm, few unknown armed personnel appeared at Iqbal Market in Old town Baramulla and assassinated three civilians on the roadside. The slain civilians were identified as Haseeb Nabi Khan, son of Ghulam Nabi Khan, resident of Kakar Hamam Baramulla; Irfan Ahmad Sheikh, alias Asif Ahmad Sheikh, son of Ali Mohammad Sheikh, resident of Syed Kareem Baramulla, and Mohammad Asgar Sheikh, alias Afsar Khan, son of Mushtaq Ahmad Sheikh, resident of Kakar Hamam Baramulla.
Police said during investigation, it has surfaced that militants involved in the killings include Suhaib Farooq Akhoon alias Abu Huraira, son of Farooq Ahmad Akhoon, resident of Khanpora; Mohsin Mushtaq Bhat alias Shera, son of Mushtaq Ahmad Bhat, resident of Qazi Hamam Baramulla; Ajaz Ahmad Gojri alias Abu Umair, son of Abdul Rehman resident of Jami Mohalla Baramulla (apprehended) and Bilal Ahmad Najar alias Abu Sameer, son of Ghulam Ahmad Najar resident of Banglow Bagh Baramulla (apprehended).
Spokesman said investigations have revealed that Suhaib Akhoon, Mohsin Mushtaq and Ajaz Gojiri opened fire using AK series rifles while as Bilal Najar used a Chinese pistol to commit the murder of three civilians.
He said two AK rifles, two Chinese pistols, four hand-grenades, 50 rounds of AK ammunition, four AK and two pistol magazines were recovered from the arrested militants and OGWs.
