Plot to attack Poonch temple foiled, 3 held

Jammu, December 27

The J&K Police on Sunday said it had arrested three Pakistan-linked militant associates and recovered six grenades from them, foiling a terror plot to attack a temple in Poonch.

Poonch Senior Superintendent of Police Ramesh Kumar Angral said the arrested persons were planning to carry out a grenade attack on a temple at the behest of their Pakistani handlers to disturb peace and communal harmony in the district.

The SSP told reporters in Poonch that the ploy was revealed after the Special Operations Group of the local police along with troops of the 49 Rashtriya Rifles detained two brothers — Mustafa Iqbal Khan and Murtaza Iqbal of Galhuta village — travelling in a vehicle near Basooni in the Mendhar sector around 8 pm on Saturday. On interrogation, it was found that Mustafa had received a call from a Pakistani number and was directed to execute the grenade attack. “He admitted to having been tasked with throwing a grenade at a temple in Ari village,” the SSP said.

The SSP said it came to light that Mustafa was involved in militant activities, and on his confession, two of his associates — Mohammad Yaseen and Rayees Ahmad of Dabbi village near the Line of Control — were also apprehended. Another police officer said Murtaza Iqbal was still being questioned while the other three were later arrested. The SSP said, “Searches were conducted at Mustafa’s house, where six grenades, some balloons with Pakistani marking and a few posters of the hitherto unknown J&K Ghaznavi Force were recovered.” Asked about the link between the arrested persons and the December 13 encounter in Dogrian village of Poonch , he said: “We are investigating the route which they (the slain terrorists) used and the persons they had contacted.” — PTI