Man held for supplying arms to militants

An absconder, accused of supplying weapons to militants, was arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Sunday, a senior police officer said.

"Zahoor Ahmad Kamal alias Nika Kamal was picked up from Kishtwar town. He had evaded arrest for the last several months," Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Rajinder Gupta told PTI.

Kamal had earlier been arrested in a five-year-old bank robbery case, where in the loot amount was estimated to be around Rs 1 crore, the official added.

"Kamal's name first came up when some militants were interrogated after their arrest in July. It came to light that Kamal had supplied an active militant, Rameez, with one pistol, some grenades, three magazines of an AK 47 rifle and 90 rounds," the SSP said.

Further, an ISI agent Sehran Sheikh alias Abu Zubair, who was arrested early this month, told the police that Kamal had taken money from him for arranging weapons but the consignment had not been delivered.

On December 7, Zubair, a resident of Malikpeth area in Kishtwar, had been arrested on charges of working as an agent for the Pakistan spy agency, Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

Gupta said Kamal's connection with militant groups would be known once his interrogation was completed.

Kamal is facing charges under various sections of Arms Act, Explosives Act, Ranbir Penal Code including sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death), 121 (waging war) and 121A (conspiracy to commit offences).

Gupta termed Kamal's arrest as a "major breakthrough".

Kamal was also wanted in case related to Enemy Agent Ordinance and Unlawful Activities Act, officials said.