M A I N   N E W S

Hizb commander held in Bandipora
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, October 12
In a span of two weeks, security forces in Kashmir arrested another militant commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit.

Hizbul militant commander Junaid, aliases Manzoor and Arshid, a resident of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, was arrested in a joint operation by the police and the Army yesterday.

“Junaid, an A+ category militant of the outfit, was arrested from Dubban-Turkpura, Bandipora, in an apple orchard. After a tip off about his presence, the area was cordoned off. On being challenged, he tried to escape but was apprehended after a chase,” a source said.

“An AK-56 rifle, two magazines and 60 rounds of ammunition were recovered from him,” the source added.

The sources said Junaid was operating in Bandipora and Ganderbal districts.

“He is being questioned,” the source said. Earlier this month, security forces busted a module of the Hizbul Mujahideen in north Kashmir by arresting one of its top militant commanders, Nisar Ahmad Dar, alias Usman, a resident of Saidpora, Sopore, and four of his associates. Dar was wanted by the police in various militancy related incidents in north Kashmir and Srinagar during the past four years.

Security forces have stepped up operations against the terror outfit in north Kashmir.