Owais Gul
SRINAGAR: At least three youth aspiring to become militants have been arrested with district police chief claiming that they were put on a trial by Hizb-ul-Mujhaideen, a militant outfit before taking them into the ranks.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Srinagar, Dr Haseeb Mughal while talking to reporters during a presser here said that the trio who have been stopped from joining the militant ranks were the close aide of Junaid Sehrai, son of pro-freedom leader Muhammad Ashraf Sehrai.
Mughal while sharing details said that the Junaid was the main mentor of these youth, who were aspiring to join militant ranks. SSP informed that the trio was involved in a grenade blast at Jammu bus stand on December last year and also the attack on a SPO at Barzulla area of Srinagar. He said that the youth were put on a trail before taking them into the outfit.
“After quizzing the arrested youth, we came to know that they were being used as planning and executing the attacks on security forces in Srinagar and elsewhere. One among them is Asif and he was missing from his home. He had reached Pulwama. He was involved in radicalisng the youth through social media and other means. After tracing him, we came to know that he along with two others were put on a trial by Hizb commander Junaid Sehrai. They would carry recee, fix target and attack the target as well,” SSP said.
He said that the trios were asked to carry out attack in Jammu bus stand and also on a SPO at Barzulla who was identified as Roman Raes. “They were however, asked that the SPO should not die and instead should be hit in legs,” the SSP Mughal said.
He said that though Ansaar Gazwatul Hind flag was recovered from them but “they were with the Hizb outfit.” “This way, we saved three youth from becoming active militants,” he said. Meanwhile, a police spokesman here stated that the three were active militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and from their possession, ammunition was also recovered.
Police said that three Hizb militants were arrested who were involved in firing on SPO Romaan at Chanapora and several grenade throwing incidents and other cases in Srinagar and Jammu cities.
They have been identified as Asif Iqbal Dar and Shahid Hassan Dar of Soura and Rasheed Lateef Mir of Barzulla. They were affiliated with HM and were wanted by law for their complicity in a series of cases. The arrests were made after series of human and technical investigative techniques used by Police, police said.
“As per police records, the trio had history of terror crime records and were involved in planning and executing several terror crimes in J&K along with their terror associates. During investigation it was learnt that Junaid Sehrai commander of HM was part of this group which carried out these attacks. They were involved in attack on SPO Romaan at Chanapora on 27/3/2019 in which he sustained injuries besides grenade throwing incidents in Jammu and Srinagar,” police said.
Police added that incriminating materials including ammunition, live rounds were recovered from their possession. “A case under relevant sections of law has been registered in this regard. Further investigation in the matter is going on,” police added.