J&K Police probing IM-LeT link

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police are probing possible links between Indian Mujahideen (IM) and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) after two Kerala-based militants were killed at Devar in the border district of Kupwara.

The militants code-named Yasin and Fayyaz were killed in a fierce encounter with a joint team of the army and police on Sunday evening.

Kupwara senior superintendent of police (SSP) Uttam Chand said, “One of the ultras was killed on Sunday, while the other succumbed on Monday evening.”

IG, Kashmir, B Srinivas said the recovery of Malayalam literature from the militants confirmed their Kerala link.

“We are in touch with Kerala Police to establish their identities. Once that is done, we will be able to tell their exact link,” he said.

Police sources said the two were part of a big LeT group operating in the area. A massive hunt had been launched to nab the other members of the group, they added.

Uttam Chand said they had landed in Kashmir just a month ago and were planning to sneak into Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to receive training in handling improvised
explosive devices.

“So far, we know they were from LeT. But we can’t rule out the possibility of an IM link,” Chand said.

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