Suspected militant guide arrested in Kashmir

Police apprehended a suspected militant guide who acted as an over ground worker (OGW) on the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir.

The man arrested has been identified as Wali Mohammed, a 65- year- old resident of Qasba village on the Indian side of the LoC.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Poonch District, Shamsheer Hussain said that the police will only be able to ascertain the associations of Mohammed after thorough interrogation.

"As of now, his interrogation is at the initial stage. Only after sustained interrogation will we be able to comment about the outfit he worked for and what his anti-national activities have been," Hussain said.

Mohammed is said to have crossed over the LoC in 2012 and then again he crossed over to the Indian side to return to his native Qasba village.

Hussain added that OGWs living close to the LoC posed a great threat.

"OGW elements, especially the ones which stay close to the LoC, they pose a bigger potential threat as compared to OGWs in the hinterland. His (Wali Mohammed) native village is very close to the LoC, from that point of view I believe this man could have caused a lot of damage," he said.

The mostly Muslim Himalayan region of Kashmir is claimed by both India and Pakistan and has been a major focus of tension in South Asia.