Two LeT operatives held with arms
Were trying to smuggle weapons into J&K for carrying out terror attacks
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Tribune News Service
Pathankot, June 11
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With the arrest of two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives, the Punjab Police today claimed to have foiled an attempt to smuggle weapons into Jammu and Kashmir to carry out terror attacks there.
Ten hand grenades, one AK-47 rifle, two magazines and 60 live cartridges were seized from suspected militants, identified as Aamir Hussain Wani (26) and Wasim Hassan Wani (27). The arrests were made after the Pathankot police intercepted a truck at a check post on the Amritsar-Jammu highway.
Past attacks
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- On June 27, 2017, three LeT militants ha attacked the Dinanagar police station and killed seven persons, including three cops, before a SWAT team neutralised them after a gunfight
- On January 2, 2016, four Jaish-e-Mohammad operatives entered the Pathankot Air force base. They were killed by NSG commandoes after a day-long operation
DGP Dinkar Gupta claimed the preliminary investigation had revealed that the terrorists received the consignment from Ishfaq Ahmed Dar, alias Bashir Ahmed Khan, a former J&K constable, near vegetable market on the Maqboolpura-Vallah road in Amritsar.
The consignment was hidden in the truck used for transportation of vegetables and fruits from Amritsar.
Aamir Hussain Wani revealed that he had collected hawala money worth over Rs 20 lakh during his earlier visits to Punjab. He did so at the behest of his handlers, Ishfaq Ahmed Dar and Dr Rameez Raja, he said. The latter is lodged in a J&K jail following his involvement in terror activities.
Aamir also said during his previous visits to Amritsar, he had ferried two armed Hizbul Mujahideen and LeT militants from Punjab to J&K. Incidentally, both of them are now dead.
A case under the Arms Act, Explosive Substances Amendment Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act has been registered at the Sadar police station.
According to the DGP, the arrest of Aamir and Wasim has corroborated recent intelligence inputs that Pakistan’s ISI has been pushing weapon consignments and infiltrating militants from across the border into Punjab, and further to the Kashmir valley for carrying out terror activities.
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