Three militant associates arrested in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama, Shopian

Security forces have arrested three militant associates in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama and Shopian districts and recovered arms and ammunition from their possession, police said on Friday.

During a naka checking at Nagisheran in south Kashmir's Shopian, the security forces intercepted a man, Mohammad Asgar Dar from Nagisheran, who tried to evade them suspiciously. He was later arrested, a police spokesperson said.

Arms and ammunition, including a pistol, a magazine and eight rounds, and other incriminating materials were recovered from his possession, the spokesperson said.

Preliminary investigation revealed that Dar was working as a terrorist associate of proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), he said.

A case has been registered and further investigation is underway, he added.

Dar's arrest came on a day when five Army personnel were killed and a major was injured in an explosion triggered by terrorists in a thickly forested area in Rajouri district where an operation was underway to flush out terrorists.

Two militant associates of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) were arrested in Pulwama, also in south Kashmir, on Thursday.

Acting on specific information, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the Tral area in Pulwama on Thursday, the spokesperson said.

During the operation, two terrorist associates of JeM, who were identified as Bashir Ahmad and Gulzar Ahmad, both residents of Tral, were arrested, he said.

On the basis of disclosures made by them, arms and ammunition, including an AK-56 rifle, two AK magazines, 56 AK rounds, three pistols, six pistol magazines, 24 pistol rounds, and other incriminating material were recovered, he added.

Further investigation is underway, the spokesperson said.

Timely and effective action by the police and the security forces averted a potential major tragedy, he said.