Srinagar (NVI): Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir, Vijay Kumar today said that two major terror attacks were foiled in South Kashmir with the arrest of seven terrorists while hailing the security forces for the killing of Al-Badr chief Gani Khawja at Tujjar area of Sopore yesterday.
IGP Kashmir was referring to the two major IED blasts that were foiled by security forces in South Kashmir.
Speaking at a presser here, the IGP said that stone pelting would not be allowed at any cost and informed that most of the 39 youth arrested in connection with the last Friday’s incident at Nowhatta in Srinagar have been booked under Public Safety Act.
While referring to the killing of Gani Khawja at Tujjar area of Sopore late Tuesday evening, the IGP said police had received an input and later informed Army and CRPF.
He said that the Sopore police reached the spot first and soon there was firing from inside. While two terrorists escaped when cordon-and-search-operation was started, he added, Khawja was killed in the encounter joined by Army and CRPF personnel later.
IGP stated that that Khawaja’s killing is a major success for the security establishment. A resident of Khawaja Mohalla Kralgund in Kupwara, the top militant had gone to Pakistan in 2000 for arms training and returned in 2002, he said.
“He was arrested by police in 2007 and released in 2008. After his release, he was involved in various stone pelting and working as OGW before he went active again in January 2018,” IGP added.
Meanwhile, regarding pre-empting IED blasts by terrorists in South Kashmir, the IGP said that one was about carrying out a vehicle-based IED blast by four persons, mostly radicalized through social media.
“In first incident, Sahil Nazir of Pampore, a BA first year student, was motivated through Telegram, he said, adding that, “Nazil revealed that he had bought an old vehicle to be fitted with explosives being brought from north Kashmir.”
IGP said that Awantipora police also arrested his other associates including Kaiser Ahmad from Pampore, Mohammad Fayaz and Yasir Ahmad Wani. He added that Nazir gave a confessional statement which has properly recorded that he also carried out a grenade attack on CRPF at Pampore on January 25.
“IED was to be received from north Kashmir and now that he has been arrested it would come but we are after the OGW who was supposed to hand it over,” IGP said.
Speaking about another preventive incident, IGP said that terrorists were planning to carry out major blast at MC building in Awantipora at the behest of Omar Khanday , who joined LeT militant outfit in October 2020 and killed two policemen at Baghat Chowk.
In this regard, IGP said, “We arrested one terrorist Musaib Ahmad Gojri of Nalbal Pampore and upon interrogation he revealed that there is a container containing ammonia power 25 kg at his home. He also revealed name of two more associates, Muneeb Mushtaq Sheikh and Shahid Ahmad Shah.”
“Later we recovered the material from his home. They also revealed that other parts required for making the bomb were to come from north Kashmir,” he added.
IGP informed that in both cases, a total of seven persons have been arrested and hailed Awantipora police for preventive action.
While responding to another query, IGP said that, “I want to make it clear that we are not tolerating any stone pelting. 15 youth have been identified and they are being booked under PSA.”
A total 39 persons have been arrested in a incident in Nowhatta and based on identification from video, others identified will also be booked under PSA,” he added.
-RJV/ARK
