Police along with 26 Assam Rifles and 3rd BN CRPF busted a terror module in North Kashmir’s Bandipora and successfully foiled the nefarious designs of Pak based terror handlers in reviving the terrorists in the district, a police spokesman said on Saturday.
“On 25th of August, based on a specific input generated by J&K police about the movement of a hybrid terrorist, a checkpoint was established by the joint party in the Dardgund area, jurisdiction of PS Pethkoot. At the checkpoint, a suspicious person who on noticing the joint party tried to flee but he was apprehended tactfully,” a police spokesman said in a statement.
On search, one pistol, one pistol magazine, eight rounds & other incriminating material were recovered from his possession. He has been identified as Shafayat Zubair Rishi of Nesbal Sumbal, police said.
During questioning, the accused disclosed that he was on way to collect a cache of arms & ammunition from a lady identified as Munira Begum, wife of killed terrorist & area commander Yousuf Choupan in Pazalpora area, police said.
Pertinently, the accused was in touch with Pak based terror handler Mushtaq Ahmad Mir who exfiltrated to Pak in 1999 and was working on revival of terrorists in the district. He was also involved in the year 2000 Kothibagh IED blast in which 14 people including 12 police personnel were killed & had remained associated with proscribed terror outfit HM and later on with terror outfit Al-Badr. Shafayat Zubair Rishi is also involved in burning an Army vehicle in Sumbal in 2009 and is out on bail in the said case, police said.
“Furthermore, on the disclosure of Munira Begum, a cache of arms & ammunition including 01 Krinkov AK-47 rifle, 03 magazines, 90 rounds and 01 pen pistol that was to be delivered to Shafait Reshi was recovered from the nearby forest area. During questioning, it was also figured that Munira has also gone to Pak twice,” police added.
Moreover, Shafayat Rishi also admitted that he was about to receive 47 lakhs for the revival of terrorists. Later, this money was to be handed over to someone as per the requirement & directions of his across handler Mushtaq Ah Mir.
A case under relevant sections of law has been registered and further investigation is under process, police said.
