Police arrested "two terrorists and three terrorist associates" affiliated to terror outfit Al-Badr and seized arms and ammunition from their possession in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, officials said on Tuesday.
"Police in Handwara busted a terror module of proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr and arrested two active terrorists and three terrorist associates. Incriminating material, including arms and ammunition, have been recovered," a police spokesperson said.
He said acting on a specific information regarding the movement of terrorists on Baramulla-Handwara highway in the north Kashmir district, a special checkpoint was established near Kachloo Crossing by security forces.
During checking of vehicles, three people riding a motorcycle tried to escape from the spot but were caught by the alert forces, he told news agency Press Trust of India.
They were identified as Mohammad Yaseen Rather, Showkat Ahmad Ganie and Ghulam Nabi Rather, all residents of Kachloo Qaziabad village, the spokesperson said.
During a search, incriminating materials of proscribed terror outfit Al-Badr and arms and ammunition were seized from their possession, the police spokesperson added.
Preliminary investigation revealed that those arrested were working for the Al-Badr terror group and were involved in providing logistic support, food and shelter to active terrorists, the police spokesperson told news agency Press Trust of India.
They were also helping to establish a terrorist network for the outfit, including identifying safe routes for their movement, he told Press Trust of India.
Police registered a case, and further investigation was initiated.
During the course of the probe, the spokesperson said, those arrested disclosed that two other people known to them had recently joined terrorist ranks and were operating in Handwara area.
Accordingly, he said, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the forest area of Baderkali.
During the operation, both the terrorists, along with arms and ammunition, were arrested, the spokesman said.
They were identified as Saleem Yousuf Rather and Ikhlaq Ahmad Sheikh, both residents of Watergam.
The investigation also revealed that the two joined terrorist ranks recently and were planning to attack security forces' installations, panchs, sarpanchs and other people to create violence in the area, the spokesperson told news agency Press Trust of India.
Further investigation into the matter is in progress, he added.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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