2nd Pak militant captured in Valley

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, August 27

Less than a month after Pakistan terrorist Naveed was captured in Udhampur, the security forces today arrested another militant, Sajjad, alias Abu Abdullah (22), belonging to the neighbouring country after an encounter in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

Sajjad, a resident of Muzaffargarh district in Balochistan, was captured alive during a 20-hour gunfight in a forest area of Rafiabad. Three other Pakistan militants were killed in the operation. A police officer said Sajjad was brought to Srinagar this evening and was in police custody.

Sources said security and intelligence agencies would question Sajjad, who belonged to the Lashkar-e-Toiba, at the joint interrogation centre to know about the “plans of Lashkar from across and the strategies and activities of Pakistan, which wants to keep the Kashmir pot boiling”. “Sajjad is a prized catch after Naveed and would be brought to Srinagar for questioning,” a source said.

Sources said Sajjad was hiding in a cave in the dense forest when troops, after killing his three associates, fired a chilly grenade to flush him out. The militant did not open fire and wept bitterly.

“He (Sajjad) stood shocked and did not open fire on being challenged by the troops after three of his associates were gunned down,” a source said.

The militant was arrested by a joint team of the Army and police during a fierce gunfight in Vij forests of Rafiabad in Baramulla district, nearly 80 km from here. The gunfight started on Wednesday afternoon after a group of militants was intercepted by the security forces.

“Three Pakistan militants were killed in the gun battle,” Deputy Inspector General of Police, north Kashmir, Gareeb Das told The Tribune. “One Pakistan militant was captured alive.” Sajjad’s initial questioning revealed that a group of five Lashkar militant had sneaked into the Valley a few days ago. The group was first noticed on August 23 at Lachipora Bijhama, near the Line of Control (LoC).

The group, sources said, apparently split into two after security forces launched an operation to trace them. While one militant was killed in an encounter in Lachipora on Wednesday, the second group of four was intercepted in the Vij forests on Wednesday by joint teams of the police, Army and Special Forces.

A defence spokesperson said: “The first contact with the terrorists was established yesterday morning resulting in the elimination of one terrorist. In a slow and systematic operation, owing to the difficult terrain and thick foliage, the forces re-established contact with the group that had taken shelter inside a natural cave on August 26 afternoon.

“After an operation, three more terrorists were eliminated while one terrorist was captured alive along with the recovery of a huge cache of warlike stores, including four AK- 47 rifles and two Under-Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs),” the spokesperson said.