The J&K police on Thursday said it arrested three Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) militant associates along with ₹1.34 crore and heroin worth ₹100 crore in north Kashmir’s Handwara.
“The three LeT militant associates were in touch with Pakistan and their main aim was to strengthen the outfit’s roots in Kashmir, besides supplying drugs across Kashmir. The recoveries exposed the nexus between drug dealers and terrorists,” Senior SP, Handwara, Dr. G.V. Sundeep, said.
The police identified the arrested terrorist associates, a term used for locals who act as couriers for the militant outfits, as Syed Iftikhar Indrabi, Abdul Moomin Peer and Islam Ul Haq Peer, all residents of Handwara.
“Besides the incriminating material, ₹1.34 crore, heroine weighing 21 kg [worth ₹100 crore] and a cash counting machine were recovered from them. The other persons involved in the crime have been identified and all efforts are on to arrest them,” a police spokesman said.
A Special Investigating Team (SIT), headed by the SSP, will unearth the nexus between the accused and the terror outfits, radicals, smugglers and other anti-national elements, according to the police.
“Such consignments are received by the over ground workers (OGWs) and later sold in the other parts of the country. Money is then distributed to promote militant activities,” Dr. Sundeep said.
The police said a preliminary investigation suggested that these drugs were on the way to Punjab. “All the arrested persons were recently set free on a bail. They were earlier arrested under Public Safety Act for their involvement in drug trade,” the SSP said.
Militants escape
A group of militants was trapped by the security forces at Pathanpora area of Budgam district on Thursday but managed to escape after a gunfight.
“After the gunshots were heard by the locals in the middle of night, a siege was laid around Pathanpora village of Budgam. The search team came under fire and the militants managed to escape taking the advantage of the darkness,” a police official said.
One AK magazine, 19 AK rounds, one pouch Chitra and one pair of sports shoes were recovered from the gunfight site.
