Srinagar, Jan 14: Army on Monday claimed to have arrested a top Hizbul Mujahideen militant in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
A spokesperson said “on a tip off” from police, a joint team of Army’s 13 RR, 162 Territorial Army and police apprehended a militant Sarfaraz Ahmed Sheer of Koil Muqam, Tangpathri Bandipora.
He said the said suspected militant was apprehended in a joint mobile vehicle check post (MVCP) at Champazpura near Ajas.
He said the “individual has been apprehended with pistol, satellite phone and other war-like stores”.
The spokesman said the arrested militant was as category ‘A’ militant and was active from last four years.
“He was operating along with Mustaq Seer and Abu Ismiel of HM cadre. The Individual was also associated with ‘Sumlar’ group which got neutralized in Bandipora two months back,” spokesman added.
However, Hizb ul Mujahideen refuted these claims, saying the arrested ‘militant’ was not affiliated with the outfit.
Hizb Operational Spokesman, Burhan-u-Din in a tele-statement to a local news agency KNS condemned the police claims, saying that Sarfaraz was not affiliated with Hizb.
He said that “police claims about the arrest of Hizb militant came as surprising and joke to them,” reported KNS.
