In a strategic crackdown, security forces disrupted a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror network in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, apprehending eight individuals associated with cross-border arms smuggling on behalf of their handlers in Pakistan.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Amod Nagpure, confirmed the arrests to the media, stating that the operation led to the seizure of a considerable cache of arms and ammunition. Legal action under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act & Arms Act has been initiated against the culprits.
The operation’s success came on the heels of an incident on August 8, when security forces, during a routine patrol at Churunda in the Uri region, zeroed in on a suspicious individual named Showkat Ali Awan. Despite his attempt to escape, he was captured and found in possession of two grenades. His interrogation led to the revelation of two accomplices, Ahmad Din and Mohammad Sadeeq Khatana, who were later detained and found possessing explosives and firearms.
Further bolstering the operation’s outcome, on August 11, a vehicle was stopped at Powarian Thajal Uri for inspection. Although the occupants claimed a medical emergency, the officers’ instincts prompted a vehicle search. The search unveiled four hand grenades, firearms, ammunition, and Rs 50,000 in cash. All five occupants, identified with ties to the LeT and cross-border smuggling, were taken into custody.
SSP Nagpure emphasized the significance of the operation, noting that these individuals were actively facilitating the transfer of arms to LeT militants, enabling them to execute terror plots in the region.
