<p>The Jammu and Kashmir Police achieved a major breakthrough by arresting a top commander of al-Badr, a militant outfit in Sopore, the violence infested town of north Kashmir.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Police sources said that Munir Ahmad Bukhari alias Sajad Baloch alias Hamza alias Amir Ghazi was arrested during a search operation at Nowhamam in Sopore, 52 km from Srinagar.<br /><br />“Bukhari was a self-styled divisional commander of Al-Badr in north Kashmir,” they added.<br /><br />Sopore Superintendent of Police Imtiyaz Hussain confirmed the arrest. “The terrorist was operating under the direct command of Pakistan-based Al-Badr ‘chief commander’ Yousuf Baloch,” Hussain told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />He said Bukhari was in constant touch with Yousuf on a satellite phone. “The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists in north Kashmir were carrying their operations in the name of Al-Badr and Bukhari was working as a bridge between the two terrorist outfits,” he added.<br /><br />The SP said police were questioning the arrested commander and hinted at more raids were in the coming days.<br /><br />Bukhari was wanted in several violent incidents, including the 2010 grenade attacks on army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles headquarter in Sopore and the attack on the local police station.<br /><br />Police sources said 10 militants, who were killed by police and army in Handwara forests of north Kashmir in March and April this year, had direct link with Bukhari.<br /><br />“We recovered some vital documents from the slain militants and on the basis of that input Bukhari was arrested,” they added. Police have recovered an AK series rifle, a satellite phone and ammunition from his possession.<br /><br />Militants on backfoot<br /><br />He has been booked in FIR No 72/2012 in Tarzu police station, Sopore.“Sopore is a tough place for security forces since it is close to the border area of Kupwara and, of late, has become a transit point for militants to fan out into entire north Kashmir,” said a police officer.<br /><br />However, he said the killing and arrests of some top commanders in recent past has put the militants on a back foot.<br /><br />Al-Badr is the only group, other than the Lashkar-e-Toiba, to employ suicide squads.<br /></p>
<p>The Jammu and Kashmir Police achieved a major breakthrough by arresting a top commander of al-Badr, a militant outfit in Sopore, the violence infested town of north Kashmir.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Police sources said that Munir Ahmad Bukhari alias Sajad Baloch alias Hamza alias Amir Ghazi was arrested during a search operation at Nowhamam in Sopore, 52 km from Srinagar.<br /><br />“Bukhari was a self-styled divisional commander of Al-Badr in north Kashmir,” they added.<br /><br />Sopore Superintendent of Police Imtiyaz Hussain confirmed the arrest. “The terrorist was operating under the direct command of Pakistan-based Al-Badr ‘chief commander’ Yousuf Baloch,” Hussain told Deccan Herald.<br /><br />He said Bukhari was in constant touch with Yousuf on a satellite phone. “The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorists in north Kashmir were carrying their operations in the name of Al-Badr and Bukhari was working as a bridge between the two terrorist outfits,” he added.<br /><br />The SP said police were questioning the arrested commander and hinted at more raids were in the coming days.<br /><br />Bukhari was wanted in several violent incidents, including the 2010 grenade attacks on army’s 22 Rashtriya Rifles headquarter in Sopore and the attack on the local police station.<br /><br />Police sources said 10 militants, who were killed by police and army in Handwara forests of north Kashmir in March and April this year, had direct link with Bukhari.<br /><br />“We recovered some vital documents from the slain militants and on the basis of that input Bukhari was arrested,” they added. Police have recovered an AK series rifle, a satellite phone and ammunition from his possession.<br /><br />Militants on backfoot<br /><br />He has been booked in FIR No 72/2012 in Tarzu police station, Sopore.“Sopore is a tough place for security forces since it is close to the border area of Kupwara and, of late, has become a transit point for militants to fan out into entire north Kashmir,” said a police officer.<br /><br />However, he said the killing and arrests of some top commanders in recent past has put the militants on a back foot.<br /><br />Al-Badr is the only group, other than the Lashkar-e-Toiba, to employ suicide squads.<br /></p>
