Ahead of festive season, terrorist held in Jammu

ON THE BASIS OF INPUTS ABOUT MOVEMENT OF A KASHMIR-BASED TERRORIST, SOG JAMMU LAID CHECKPOINTS ACROSS JAMMU

JAMMU: Ahead of the festive season, Jammu and Kashmir Police said they arrested a terrorist of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-taiba, near Jammu railway station on Sunday.

The terrorist was identified as Sheikh Sunain Yousuf alias Raja alias Sultan, son of Mohammad Yousuf Sheikh of Gadapora in Shopian district.

The nine-day long Navratri festival begins October 7 when pilgrims from across the country and abroad throng the holy cave shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi in Katra.

“On the basis of credible inputs about the movement of a Kashmir based terrorist to Jammu for a specific task to create terror in the area, Special Operations Group (SOG) Jammu laid special checkpoints at different locations of Jammu city,” said a police spokesperson.

“During checking near railway station Jammu, a scooter rider dropped his pillion rider at some distance, about 50-60 metres behind the checkpoint, and fled away. The pillion started running towards a nearby lane. He was carrying a blue and black bag on his back. On his suspicious movement, a police party chased him and he was overpowered at some distance,” he added.

On preliminary questioning, he disclosed his identity as Sheikh Sunain Yousuf alias Raja alias Sultan, of Gadapora in

Shopian. “During the search, a star pistol loaded with seven cartridges was recovered from his possession,” he added.

The spokesperson said, “He disclosed that he is an active terrorist of the TRF and had come to Jammu for a specific task which was not yet conveyed to him by his handlers.”

He had come to Jammu on the directions of his handler Ahmed Khalid alias Hamza alias Haqparast, who is in POK and an active handler of terrorists of the TRF outfit.

“Sheikh Sunain Yousuf was also in touch with Valley-based handlers through Telegram and Signal apps. The questioning of the arrested terrorist is going on,” he said. A hunt has been launched to nab two of his associates who provided support to him for reconnaissance.

A case under Sections 20,23,38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Sections 7/25 of the Arms Act was registered.