Srinagar: A terror funding and recruitment module was busted in Kupwara district of north Kashmir by arresting six accused, police said on Thursday.
Speaking to reporters at a press conference in north Kashmir’s Kupwara, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Kupwara, Yougal Manhas described the arrest of six accused as a major success against the perpetrators of terrorism in the Valley.
“Kupwara Police along with Army’s 21 RR and 47 RR busted a deep-rooted terror funding and recruitment module running in north Kashmir,” the SSP said.
He said after receiving multiple inputs regarding an individual Bilal Ahmed Dar, hailing from Cheerkote area of the district, a joint operation was launched by the Army and police to nab him from the general area Nutnussa and he was arrested.
“After thorough interrogation, Dar revealed that he along with five other people from different parts of north Kashmir were running a terror funding racket under the garb of a fake NGO called ‘Islahi Falahi Relief Trust’ (IFRT) which claimed to provide monetary assistance to poor and needy families,” Manhas said.
“He (Dar) was actively involved in coordinating the funding for terror activities and aiding recruitment by organizing secret meetings in different villages where they would try and lure young people into terror activities,” Manhas said.
The SSP said on Dar’s disclosure five other persons were arrested.
He identified them as Wahid Ahmed Bhat, resident of Langate; Javed Ahmed Najar, resident of Singhpora, Baramulla; Mushtaq Ahmed Najar, resident of Sopore; Bashir Ahmed Mir, resident of Mundji area of Sopore; and Zubair Ahmed Dar, resident of Cheerkote.
The module was being coordinated by Pakistan-based handlers to aid the operations of “Tehreek-ul- Mujahideen Jammu and Kashmir” (TuMJK) in north Kashmir, the SSP said.
The modus operandi of the group was to go to different villages and conduct events and gatherings under the garb of the NGO and would collect money by asking for charity and also scout for potential soft targets as recruits, he said.
Manhas said the group was receiving instructions from “across the border from Ghulam Rasool Shah alias Dr Shah Sab alias Manzoor Shah alias Gen Abdullah, who is a Pakistan-based terrorist handler, Mohammad Sultan Peer, alias Tariq Peer, alias Yousaf Baloch, alias Osama, alias Qureshi, of Sulkoot Kupwara — also a Pakistan based terrorist handler, and one person Mushtaq, alias Hamza.”
A huge quantity of arms, ammunition, raw material to prepare IED and incriminating material including five pistols, 10 magazines, 49 pistol ammunition, and two grenades, were recovered from them, the SSP added.
A case under various sections of Arms Act, and UA(P) Act has been registered against all the individuals for further investigation, Manhas said. (With PTI inputs)
