Separatist leader arrested in J&K for suspected terror links

Jammu, December 17

A Tehreek-e-Hurriyat (TeH) leader was on Monday arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district for his alleged links with terrorists, the police said.

The TeH was founded by hardline Hurriyat Conference leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani in 2004 after parting ways with Jamaat-e-Islami. At present, it is being headed by his lieutenant Mohammad Ashraf Sahrai.

Noor Mohammad alias Fayaz Malik of Fiqsoo-Thatri village of Doda was an alleged over-ground worker (OGW) of militants, a senior police officer said.

“Mohammad was wanted in a militancy related case... The arrested accused is a self-styled leader of TeH, Doda and has previously remained an associate of Geelani,” the officer said.

Terming the arrest as a “major breakthrough”, the officer said Mohammad was active in radicalising the youth of the Valley and encourage them to join militancy.

He also had close links with Qamar-ul-Zaan, a terrorist who was recently arrested in Uttar Pradesh besides a local active militant Usama -bin-Javed, who hails from Dachhan area of Kishtwar, the officer said.

“Reportedly the arrested OGW is running a school at Thathri in Doda,” he said further. — PTI