Terror recruitment module busted in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam, PhD scholar arrested

With the arrest of a PhD scholar of Central University of Kashmir, police on Wednesday said to have busted a terrorist recruitment module in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Two terrorist associates linked with Hizbul Mujahideen (HM)/Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) were also arrested in the case, police said.

"Acting on specific information generated by Kulgam police, a search was launched for a code-named person @Dr Sabeel who was motivating, funding and providing logistic support to the gullible youth of District Kulgam and adjoining areas to recruit them into terrorist ranks," a police spokesman said.

He said special teams were constituted to track and search for the suspected person.

Read | Wordless valley

"After systemic efforts, one suspected vehicle was zeroed in. When the credentials of the vehicle were sought, it came to fore that the vehicle was being used by Dr Rubani Bashir, a resident of Ashmuji, Kulgam," the spokesman said.

He said a checkpoint was established at Ashmuji and Bashir was apprehended.

"During questioning, he disclosed his code name as Dr Sabeel, a PhD scholar from Central University of Kashmir, and has also applied for job as assistant professor there.

"Dr Rubani Bashir @ Dr Sabeel also disclosed that he has been associated with Jamat-e-Islami (JeI) from his student days and he has been its member in student wing Islamic Jamat-ul-Tulbha (IJT) for 14 years and later on has been a full-fledged member of JeI. His basic modus operandi was to work for proscribed terrorist organizations HM/JeM behind the curtain. He used to identify the youngsters, motivate them, fund them and then make them ready to join terrorist organizations," the spokesman said.

It was also revealed that Bashir motivated two youngsters and made them to join the terrorist ranks.

"On the disclosure of Dr Rubani Bashir, two terrorist associates linked with HM/JeM were arrested. They have been identified as Fazil Ahmed Parrey and Tariq Ahmed Naikoo alias Chawla," he added.

On their disclosure, one Chinese pistol, one pistol magazine and nine 9mm rounds were recovered from Bashir while one AK-47 magazine and 19 AK-47 rounds were recovered from Fazil Ahmed Parrey.

One Chinese grenade, 10 AK-47 rounds and a car used for ferrying the terrorists have been seized, police said.

Meanwhile, in Bandipora district, security forces arrested one terrorist associate of Lashkar-e-Taiba at Turkpora junction.

He was identified as Javed Ahmad Malla and two hand grenades were recovered from his possession.