SRINAGAR: Police on Saturday claimed to have busted a weapon-snatching module in south Kashmir by arresting three of the six-member group.
A police statement said a manhunt was launched to trace assailants who had snatched a rifle from a paramilitary soldier in Nai Basti village of Tral a few days ago.
It said that after receiving specific information the police detained one Nazir Ahmad Rather alias Afridi, a resident of Dadsara village.
“During the questioning, he revealed that he along with five others have planned and executed the attack and weapon snatching at Tral Town.
“He further revealed that same group was also involved in the attack on Police guard at Qoial, Pulwama where they left behind the snatched weapon from CRPF constable at Tral,” the statement added.
The other associates of Afridi who have been found involved in these incidents are Rafiq Ahmad Bhat alias Rafiq Dada of Astan-Mohallah Tral, Shakoor Ahmad Bhat of Quoil, Pulwama, Aqib Ahmad Daboo of Wav Masjid, Tral, Ubaid Ahmad alias Molvi of Tral Payeen and Irshad Ahmad Khan of Lajoora, Pulwama.
Police said besides Afridi, only Rafiq Dada and Shakoor Ahmad Bhat have been arrested.
They also said that there are no previous records about the members except Nazir Ahmed and Dada.
Violence, that has killed tens of thousands of people in Kashmir, has come down significantly in the past ten years. However authorities say there might be a fresh escalation in violence in the coming months.
Reports suggest that militant groups in the valley have been making fresh recruitment and have also carried out many daring attacks on security forces this year.
