Punjab Police Busts Lashkar Terror Module, Arrests 2

In a joint operation with central agencies, the Punjab Police thwarted a possible terrorist attack in the border state by busting a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)-backed module and arresting two operatives, a top officials said on Saturday.

Police also recovered from their possession two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), as many hand grenades, one .30 bore pistol with two magazines and 24 cartridges, eight detonators, one timer switch and four batteries.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the terror module is being handled by Firdaus Ahmed Bhat, an active Lashkar-e-Taiba member.

Those arrested have been identified as Uzair Ul Haq of Rahpora Khudwani in Jammu and Kashmir and Raj Mohammad Andleeb of Kherwan, also in Jammu and Kashmir.

Police chief Gaurav Yadav said the operation was launched following intelligence that the Punjab border is being used by the LeT for smuggling a huge consignment of arms and explosives and their two members are expected to retrieve the cache in the area of Kathu Nangal.

Police's state special operation cell (SSOC) wing of Amritsar and central agencies launched the operation and arrested the two persons with the weapon consignment, Gaurav Yadav said.

He said preliminary investigations revealed that the accused were recruited in a terror organisation by Firdaus Ahmed Bhat and the terror outfit was planning to use them to target prominent personalities and places of strategic importance in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab to disturb the peace and harmony of the country.

The DGP said both the arrested persons were in constant touch with Firdaus Ahmed Bhat via various social media platforms. On Thursday, Firdaus Ahmed Bhat sent them to Amritsar to collect the consignment of weapons and bring them to the Kashmir valley, according to the police officer.

Assistant Inspector General, SSOC Amritsar, Sukhminder Singh Mann said it was also revealed that Uzair Ul Haq, a relative of Firdaus Ahmed Bhat, was earlier arrested in two cases pertaining to stone pelting in the Kulgam district.

Raj Mohammad Andleeb has no previous criminal record, he added.

Further investigations are being carried out to unearth the entire terror network of LeT, he said, adding efforts are also being made to detect the source of consignment.

A case under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), section 25 of the Arms Act, sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Explosives Act and sections 109, 115 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been registered in Amritsar.

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