Three LeT militants killed in Sopore were planning major attack: Police
Says 35-40 foreign, 17 local militants active in northern districts
Sopora: Deputy Inspector General (DIG) north Kashmir Range, Muhammad Suleman Choudhary said that the killing of three LeT militants in north Kashmir’s Sopore area was a big success.
He said that the militants killed in the operation were planning a major attack on security establishments.
“We can’t rule out the possibility of the attack. The arms and ammunition recovered from the slain militants also indicate that they were planning something big. After their killing, a major threat has been averted,” he said. He added that they have witnessed such things in the past and they are ready to face any kind of challenge.
He identified the two among the three slain militants as Usman Bhai and Saifullah of Pakistan, adding that the identification of the third militant is being ascertained. “Usman Bhai was involved in the recent attack in model town Sopore in which one CRPF man a civilian were killed. The duo foreign militants were active here from last two years,” he said.
Asked about the footfall of foreign militants in north Kashmir, the DIG north Kashmir said that as per their reports, 35-40 foreign militants are operating in northern districts, adding that some 16 or 17 local militants are also active.
“There are fluctuating reports, but as per the reports available at present, nearly seven militants who are active in north Kashmir may have infiltrated in past few months,” he added.
He also stated that “Post abrogation of Article 370 last year, attempts are being from across the Line of Control to create a narrative and put Kashmir on boil here. The militant’s active in Kashmir attacked fruit merchants, civilians and non-local labourers. But people have been quite cooperative and thus helped us to decrease the graph of militant recruitment,” he said
“The youth who picked up arms since last year were either killed or arrested while many have been saved from joining the militant ranks,”
5 sector RR commander, Vivek Narang, who was accompanying the DIG north Kashmir, said that “many of the infiltration attempts have been foiled by the forces along LoC. At present, some 250-300 militants are ready on launch pads to infiltrate. But we are ready to foil their attempts,” he added.
Bilal Ahmad
