Three militant associates of Lashkat-e-Toiba (LeT) involved in the recent bank robbery at Sherabad Khore Pattan were arrested, Police said Saturday.
Police said that the same militant module was involved in a civilian killing at Budgam and robbery in at least four banks and a petrol pump.
Police identified the arrested militant associates as Rahil Ahmad Parray of Kanihama, Arif Ahmad Mir of Mazhama and Naseer Ahmad Bhat of Singhpora.
Police has recovered a Chinese pistol, two magazines, 25 live rounds, two 12 Bore Guns, three cartridges, two pouches, a multipurpose knife, three PPE kits, a weapon-tying chain and three vehicles (JKO5G-5626, JKO5G-45664 and an Alto K 10 vehicle without a number besides cash amounting Rs 24,500 from the arrested militant associates.
Senior Superintendent of Police Baramulla, Rayees Bhat Police along with Army’s 29 RR launched an operation against the identified men and arrested them.
He said with the arrest of the three militant associates they had solved the recent bank robberies in north Kashmir as well as Budgam.
Bhat said the arrested militant associates were also involved in the killing of a civilian Naseer Ahmad Khan at Buchipora Magam this month.
He said that they were also involved in a petrol pump robbery at Budgam in which they decamped with a cash of Rs 3.50 lakh.
The SSP Baramulla said that soon after the recovery of hijacked vehicle at Kunzar on Thursday, the Special Investigation Team of Police started the investigation and on Friday night, they got some valuable inputs about the trio involved in the Sherabad Khore bank robbery in which they decamped with a cash of Rs 2.86 lakh.
“The arrested persons were working at the behest of a LeT militant Muhammad Yousuf Dar and Abrar Nadeem Bhat,” Bhat said.
He said that the arrested militant associates had looted a cash of Rs 9,51,896 in all these robberies which included Grameen Bank Ogmuna, Panzipora, and J&K Bank Chandipora besides the recent bank robbery at J&K Bank branch at Sherabad Khore Pattan.