Srinagar, March 14 (UNI) The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday said it has busted a module of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant group that was involved in the killing of a Sarpanch in Kulgam district.
Sarpanch Shabir Ahmad Mir was shot dead at Audoora area in south Kashmir three days ago. Police said investigation showed that Mir was killed by the Hizb.
Senior Superintendent of Police Kulgam GV Sundeep Chakravarty said the Jammu and Kashmir police had formed a Special Investigation Team to probe the killing of Sarpanch.
“During the course of investigation, it came to surface that active terrorist of HM, Farooq Nali alias Umer, had received directions from Pakistani terror handlers to target the members of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRI) in Kulgam,” SSP Kulgam said.
“He (Nali) further directed active HM terrorists Mushtaq Itoo and Zubair Sofi to execute the terror act with the support of their associates Danish Ahmad Dar and Faisal Hameed Wagay, both residents of Kulgam and Nisar Rashid Bhat of Tengpora Shopian to conduct the recce of the Sarpanch’, to arrange transport and provide logistics to execute the terror act,” Chakravarty said.
The SSP said with strenuous efforts of Kulgam Police, the three Hizb associates have been arrested and the vehicles used in the commission of crime have been seized.
“From their possession, incriminating materials including two pistols, three pistol magazines, 11 pistol rounds, two grenades, one magazine of AK 47 and 15 rounds of AK 47 have been recovered. Further investigation is going on as more arrests and recoveries are expected,” he added.
SSP Chankravarty said massive searches were going on to neutralise the militants involved in this heinous crime.
Three Panchayat members have been killed in Kashmir this month, creating panic among Sarpanches and Panches.
Police said that panchayat members facing threats were provided safe accommodation in Srinagar and all other district headquarters.
