4 Hizb overground workers arrested in Kishtwar

Four overground workers of Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) terror outfit have been arrested in ongoing "search operation" in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, officials said on Thursday.

With the Wednesday's arrests, terror network of Hizbul has been cracked and the operation to nab more people involved in revival of terrorism in twin districts of Doda-Kishtwar will go on, a senior police officer told PTI.

In all, the number of terrorists and their supporters arrested have gone up to 16 in the massive crackdown on terror network by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the Army and the Police, he said.

Those arrested have been identified as Farooq Bhat, Manzoor Ganie, Masood and Noor Mohmmad Malik, officials said.

Police and NIA have picked up 45 people and question them in connection with terror network in Kishtwar and arrested 16 till now, they said.

After being declared terrorism-free over a decade ago, Kishtwar district was rocked by killings of four persons including a senior BJP leader and an RSS functionary and two weapons snatching incidents since November last year.

Three hardcore terrorists including Osama who was the brain behind the revival of militancy in the district were killed in an encounter with security forces at Batote along Jammu-Kishtwar highway on Saturday.