JAMMU: UT Police and Romeo Force in a joint operation on Sunday arrested three militant associates and claimed to have foiled a major terror plot to attack reglious places in border Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Six grenades have so far been recovered from their possession, Poonch SSP Ramesh Angral said, adding the arrests came when Special Operation Group of UT Police and Romeo Force laid a joint naka at Basooni on Saturday night and intercepted a vehicle No. JK02BG 8086 in which, one Mustafa Khan of Gulta Harni was travelling.
During questioning, he confessed his involvement in militant related activities and revealed the names of two more militant associates. Identified as Mohammad Yaseen and Rayees Ahmed, both residents of Dabbi Balakote, they too were arrested.
During their questioning, SSP said that vital clues were developed and searches conducted in the house of Mustafa Khan leading to the recovery of six grenades. The arrested persons had been in regular contact with their handlers in Pakistan who were instructing them to carry out militant activities, he said.
The accused were planning to carry out strike at religious places in Poonch so as to trigger communal tension in the region, the district police chief said, adding that some videos regarding tactics to throw grenades were also found on the mobile phones of accused.
A case has been registered at Mendhar police station, he said, adding that investigations in the matter were in progress.
