Srinagar, Feb 22 : Police on Tuesday arrested a Lashker-e-Toiba militant in Aloosa area of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.

“Acting on a specific input about the presence of (militants) in Aloosa area of Bandipora, joint parties of Police Bandipora, 26 Assam Rifles and 3rd battalion CRPF laid a joint naka at Aloosa,” police said in a statement.

“A suspicious individual was seen approaching the naka and on being challenged by the joint parties, the individual tried to flee into the nearby orchards. He was chased by the joint party and tactfully apprehended,” it said.

The individual identified himself as Danish Ahmed Shah alias Haris son of Sanaullah Shah of Ellahipora Aloosa Bandipora. “On carrying out the personal search of the individual, one Chinese pistol and one grenade was recovered from his possession,” police said in the statement.

During initial questioning, the police said, the person disclosed that “he was working at the behest of LeT handlers Samama alias Ali and Hilal Malik (A/P Pakistan)”. “Arms and ammunition had been provided to him through Laskar conduits.

The individual had been recruited as a hybrid (militant) by Ashiq War and after his death in 2019. He was subsequently handled by Fayaz War,” he said, adding, “ “It further came to light that the individual was currently arranging travel documents to travel to Pakistan for seeking specialised arms and ammunition training.”

He said the individual was also suspected to be involved in assisting the recent attacks in Bandipora and it’s is currently a matter of investigation.

“A case under the relevant provisions of law has been registered in Police Station Bandipora and further investigation is underway.”