SRINAGAR: Police on Monday claimed to have busted two modules of Jaish-e-Mohammad in south Kashmir by arresting 10 members of the militant group.
They also said they foiled a plan by militants in north Kashmir to snatch weapons and rescued five young missing boys from Srinagar. A police official said in view of a surge in militant attacks in Tral in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, a special team was constituted to investigate these attacks.
"On the basis of evidence gathered, Younis Nabi Naik, Fayaz Ahmad Wani, Riyaz Ahmad Ganaie and Bilal Ahmad Rather, all locals, were taken into custody for questioning," he said.
On being questioned, they admitted to their complicity in militant attacks in Tral area and said they were associates of Jaish militants, the officer said. The official said another Jaish module was busted in Khrew area of Pampore in Pulwama district and six associates of the outfit were arrested.
The arrested JeM associates were identified as Javaid Ahmad Parray, Yasir Bashir Wani, Tahir Yousuf Lone, Rafiq Ahmad Bhat, Javaid Ahmad Khanday and Imran Nazir, all locals.
"Huge quantity of incriminating material was recovered from the module, including gelatin sticks, detonators and materials for making IEDs and grenades," the official said.
He said police in north Kashmir foiled the militants' plan to snatch weapons by arresting eight militant accomplices from Baramulla, Tangmarg in north Kashmir and Srinagar in central Kashmir.
"Further questioning of those arrested was on," the official said, adding that the police also rescued five missing boys from Srinagar.
"Parents of some boys in Srinagar had told police that they received phone calls from their children, who had left for their school in the morning, informing that they are going to join militant ranks," the official said. He said to ensure quick and timely action, a special police team was constituted.
"The strenuous efforts of the team, with the help of the families of these missing boys, resulted in five of them being rescued. They were brought back safely," he said.
The official said though these boys had threatened to embrace militancy, the police haven't found any evidence to suggest their active association with any militant group.
"All five boys were counselled before being handed over to their parents," the officer said.