LeT links in JK bank robbery in December exposed

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday arrested the culprits of the Arihal bank robbery case in December last year, in which the accused militants from Lashkare-e-Toiba, are also said to be behind the Malpora (Budgan) robbery that took place in November 2016.

The aim of the robbery in December was to recover the looted notes in old currency and in the newly exchanged denomination.

On 8th December last year, a group of armed gunmen barged into the Jammu and Kashmir Bank branch in Arihal and fled with cash in excess of Rs 12 lacs, after holding the employees at gun point.

In a press conference, ASP Azhar Baba of Pulwama revealed that, "further inputs and leads into the case suggested that it was the group of three militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT)."

"An FIR No 483/2016 U/S 392 RPC, 7/27 Arms Act was lodged in the Pulwama police station immediately after the incident. Initial enquiries from eye witnesses, identification from photos thereof and inputs from sources pointed towards a foreign militant code Abu Ali, as one of the assailants," he added.

The said militant was also part of the group which carried out the robbery in Malpora (Budgam) on 21 November 2016.

During the course of investigation, involvement of one namely Ramiz Raja, a resident of Parigam surfaced. He was called for questioning during which it was found that he is an active on ground worker and after the robbery the militants approached him for exchanging the old currency looted notes.

His disclosures further led to Manzoor Ahmad, a resident of Parigam, who aided in the disposal of the robbed amount. In the process a cash of Rs. 1,99,000/- out of the stolen amount, in old denomination was also recovered.