LeT commander arrested in Jammu and Kashmir

In a major breakthrough, security forces today arrested an oldest surviving area commander of Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba (LeT) from Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district, a police spokesman said here.

Based on confirmed intelligence input regarding the presence of the militant, the Army and police launched a joint operation in general area of Patnazi, about 290 kms from here, in the district early this morning, he said.

During the search operation, they noticed the movement of an individual under suspicious circumstance, he said, adding on being challenged the individual tried to escape but was overpowered and apprehended.

The captured militant, identified as Mohammad Shafi Shah alias Pathan alias Idrees, was in possession of one AK-56 rifle, three magazines, 90 rounds of ammunition, one radio set, three SIM cards of Pakistan, three other SIM cards and one mobile phone.

Originally belonging to Ashmuqam area of Pahalgam in South kashmir, Shah had been active in militancy since 1990 and was involved in many heinous crimes, the spokesman said. 

This was the fourth major success by security forces against militants in Kishtwar during last few days. They killed LeT district commander, Mohammad Issaq Bhat alias Atique in Odrain area of the district on July 14. Yesterday, security forces apprehended Nazzir Ahmed, a close aide of Bhat also also recovered arms and essentials from militant hideout from two different areas of the hilly district.