5 militant associates of Lashkar arrested in Sopore

Five suspected militant associates of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) were arrested by joint forces in north Kashmir’s Sopore sub-district on Monday.

Police said the arrests were made by joint teams of Police, Army’s 22 RR and CRPF’s 92 battalion.

“The five were arrested during the investigation of a grenade lobbying incident on the house of a civilian at Tujjar village of Sopore on January 27,” a police officer said.

The five arrested militant associates have been identified by police as Arif Billa, Sartaj Ahmad Shiekh, Nissar Ahmad Lone, Mohammad Murtaza Bhat—all residents of Tujjar-Sharief and Fayaz Ahmad Ganai Harwan in Sopore.

“Incriminating materials including five hand grenades, one UBGL thrower, a UBGL grenade were recovered on their disclosure,” the officer said, adding, the investigation is in progress.

In the last week of March, security forces in Sopore had busted a module of the newly launched militant group “The Resistance Front” and recovered a major haul of arms. Police had said TRF was the local front of Lashkar and was launched by Pakistan immediately after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year.

TNS