Cop among 7 arrested in kashmir for 'links' with Hizbul

In a major setback to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested its seven over ground workers, including a cop, who were allegedly planning to send local boys across the border for arms training and involved in terror attack.

SSP Baramulla Imtiyaz Hussain said a Hizbul module luring young boys into militancy was busted with the arrest of three persons. "The module was spearheaded by Hizbul commander Parvez Wani alias Mubashir," he told DH adding the module had plans to send many boys to Pakistan on valid visa to get them trained in camps of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir.

"The Hizbul was planning to hold a massive recruitment drive. One of the accused Abdul Rashid Bhat had visited Pakistan in May this year and obtained training for undertaking militant activities in Khalid bin Waleed camp of Hizbul located in PoK. He had got the visa from Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi on the recommendation of one separatist organization,” the SSP said and added arms, ammunition and Rs one lakh was recovered from their possession.

Hussain said the module was not only luring young boys to militancy but also providing logistic support to other militants.  Sources said it was the fifth instance in a year and a half where the militants used official documents like passports and visas instead of crossing over from the LoC .

Recently police saved around 10 boys in Baramulla from the clutches of the militants, who were planning to send them to PoK for arms training. The boys were later handed over to their parents.

In south Kashmir's Shopian district four persons with links to Hizbul were arrested by the police.The men, according to police, were involved in providing logistic support and helping the Hizbul in conducting the terror attack on Khurshid Ahmed, a special police officer, on June 11.

The accused include a police constable, a bank employee and a private school teacher.