Srinagar April 26: Police on Tuesday claimed to have busted a Hizb militant module by arresting three of its associates, who were also involved in killing of Panch in Kulpora area in South Kashmir Kulgam district.

A police spokesperson in a statement to GNS said that On 2nd March militants shot dead a Panch namely Mohd Yaqoob Dar son of Gh Mohd Dar resident of Kulpora Kulgam. In this regard, a case with FIR No. 27/2022 under relevant sections of law at Police station Kulgam was registered and investigation got conducted through a special investigation team.

During the course of investigation, it was learnt that an active militant of Hizb namely Farooq Ahmad Bhat son of Ab Gani Bhat resident of Cheki Desend Yaripora had received directions from militant handlers based in Pakistan to target the PRI members of Kulgam. On their directions, he identified the target and gave direction accordingly to active militant namely Raja Nadeem Rather son of Ab Rehman Rather resident of Ashmuji to execute the militant act with the support of their associates namely Nasser Ahmad Wani son of Bashir Ahmad Wani resident of Srandoo, Adil Manzoor Rather son of Manzoor Ahmad Rather resident of Ashmuji and Majid Mohd Rather son of Lt. Gh Mohd Rather resident of Malipora Mirbazar, he said.

The spokesperson further stated that the directions included to conduct recee of the Panch’s presence, arrange transport and provide logistics to execute the militant act.

After strenuous efforts, Kulgam police arrested above mentioned militant associates involved in this militant crime and also seized 02 Grenades and 1 Pistol with 08 Rounds.

It is pertinent to mention that the said module is linked with already busted (HM) militant module involved in the killing of sarpanch namely Shabir Ahmad Mir son of Mohd Abdullah Mir resident of Audoora Kulgam on 11th March of this year, he said.

The investigation of the case is going on and based on the investigation more arrests and recoveries are also expected. Efforts are on to neutralise the militants involved in this heinous crime, reads the statement.