2 Hizb ultras arrested in Baramulla

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, September 1

Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants were arrested in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district today.

The police said the arrest of the two Hizb militants, identified as Showkat Ahmed Ganai and Mohammad Parvez Mir, both residents of Andergam in Pattan, was a major success for the forces in north Kashmir.

“In the current situation, what we see is that the terrorists are trying to create a kind of atmosphere that is agitational in nature. I think it (their arrest) is a big success,” said Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain Mir.

The duo, he said, was arrested in a joint operation from Andergam.

A defence spokesman in Srinagar said two AK-47 rifles, two grenade launchers and other war-like stores were recovered from the militants.

“Besides, Army and police uniforms were recovered from them which exposes the nefarious designs of the terror outfits to terrorise people in the garb of security forces,” the spokesman said.

The two militants were arrested at a time when the security forces have resumed anti-militancy operations after a nearly 50-day hiatus. The anti-militancy operations were halted in the region due to protests and clashes across Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul commander Burhan Wani on July 8.

Police sources said militants had taken ‘advantage’ of the interval situation and ‘consolidated’ themselves in various parts of Kashmir.

A few days ago, a counter-militancy operation was launched in the Bandibala Chandoosa area of Baramulla district after a tip-off about the presence of militants. However, the operation was called off as militants reportedly managed to escape before the cordon was laid.