2 hybrid ultras held in Srinagar, PSA slapped on Poonch man

Srinagar, July 1

Two hybrid terrorists of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit were arrested here, the police said on Friday. Arms and ammunition have been seized from their possession.

The two have been identified as Naveed Shafi Wani, a resident of Shar Shali Khrew, Pampore, and Faizan Rashid Teli, a resident of Kadlabal, Pampore.

Weapons seized

• Chinese pistols, six pistol magazines, 11 pistol rounds, a grenade, 16 gelatin super power sticks, six metres of cortex wire and eight detonators among other material have been seized.
• The accused are Naveed Shafi Wani and Faizan Rashid Teli of Pampore besides a man from Poonch.

On the basis of a specific input about the movement of terrorists in the district, special checkpoints were laid in the area. On the Sanat Nagar Chowk-Rangreth road, a hybrid terrorist was caught carrying a pistol and some rounds, the police said.

Upon his disclosure, a cordon-and-search operation was launched in Pampore on the outskirts of the city, resulting in the arrest of another hybrid terrorist. An official said three more pistols and other arms and ammunition were seized.

Incriminating material linked to the LeT, along with four Chinese pistols, six pistol magazines, 11 pistol rounds, a grenade, 16 gelatin super power sticks, six metres of cortex wire and eight detonators were seized from their possession.

A case has been registered and preliminary investigation has found that the arrested terror associates had been involved in transportation of terrorists, arms, explosive material and providing logistical support to terrorists of LeT in Srinagar in the past as well, the official added.

Hybrid terrorist is a term coined by the security forces in J&K to describe those ultras who carry out subversive tasks assigned to them by their handlers before slipping back into normal life.

In Poonch, Public Safety Act has been slapped on a man for being in touch with terror groups in Pakistan. The police have detained him, claiming that he had maintained contact with Pakistan-based terrorists through social media. Acting on the police dossier, the Poonch Deputy Commissioner ordered detention of Mohammad Hanief, a resident of Surankote.