Two Hizbul Mujahideen supporters arrested in Jammu

An overground network of Hizbul Mujahideen was busted today with the arrest of two supporters of the militant outfit in Kishtwar district, police said.

Acting on specific inputs, Azhar Ali Bhat, 28, and Irshad Ahmed Akhoon were arrested in Kishtwar district, a police spokesman said here.

During interrogation, Bhat disclosed that he was working in Kishtwar as a field distributor for Airtel mobile SIMs and a close friend and supporter of Hizbul militant Amir Kamal, who is operating in Dacchan-Marwah area of the district, he said.

Bhat further revealed that on the directions of Hizbul militants, he visited Jammu to create a network and motivated 17-year-old Junaid Akram Malik in Bhatindi area of Jammu district and brought him here, he said.

Later, he handed Malik to another militant supporter and Rehbar-e-Taleem (teacher) Akhoon, who handed the teenager to Hizbul commander Amir Kamal alias Akram for induction into the outfit's cadre, the spokesman said.

The search for Malik is going on, he said, adding a case has been registered in this regard.