Srinagar: The state Police on Monday claimed to have busted Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) module by arresting two persons including a non-local, who they said was a close aide of slain LeT commander Bashir Lashkar.
Addressing a news conference here at Police Control Room (PCR) Srinagar, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Range, Munir Ahmad Khan said that they have busted LeT module by arresting Sandeep Kumar, alias Adil, son of Ram Sharma, a resident of Muzaffarnagar area of Uttar Pradesh and Muneeb Shah of Kulgam.
IGP said that the non-local who has been arrested was the close aide of Bashir Lashkari, who was killed on Jul 01 in an encounter that raged between the forces and militants in Dialgam area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
He told reporters that Sandeep Sharma was in the same house where Lashkari took shelter. “Sandeep helped the LeT militants to loot ATMs while they also indulged in immoral activities in the villages,” he said.
IGP Kashmir further stated the non-local was also involved in the militant attack on policemen, which occurred in Achabal and left six cops, including an SHO dead.
“Sandeep was a criminal, he got in touch with Lashkar through one Shakoor of Sopore,” the IGP said, IGP said, adding that the non-local was detained for questioning after he was rescued from the house where Lashkari was holed up.
Meanwhile, JKP in a statement issued to KNS said that in a major breakthrough, Police Anantnag with strenuous efforts busted a module involved in series of sensational crimes including terror crimes in South Kashmir. Two individuals Sandeep Kumar Sharma @ Adil of U.P and Muneeb Shah of Kulgam as a part of this module have been arrested. Complicity of Sandeep Sharma has been found in the following cases:-
a) Attack on Army convoy at Lower Munda Qazigund (NHW) on 03.06.2017 near Lower Munda opposite Tool Post Qzd. Case FIR No. 138/2017 U/S 302 RPC 7/25 Act (P/S Qazigund)
b) Weapon snatching incident at Guard posted at residence of Justice Attar’s Anchidoora on 13.06.2017. Case FIR No. 131/2017 U/S 307 RPC 7/27 A Act (P/S Anantnag)
c) Attack on Police Party of Achabal on 16.06.2017 at Thajiwara Achabal in which “06” Police personnel got martyrdom. Case FIR No. 82/2017 U/S 302,397,427 RPC 7/27 A Act (P/S Achabal)
2. Besides the above, he alongwith his associates was also involved in number of ATM Loots which are as follow :
a) On 18/19.01.2017 at Momin Abad Ashajipora. Case FIR 07/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Anantnag)
b) On 20/21-04-2017 at K.P Road G.B Stand Anantnag. Case FIR No.66/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Anantnag)
c) On 22./23-05-2017 at Larkipra SBI ATM .Case FIR No.105/2017 U/S 457,380 ,511 RPC ( P/S Anantnag)
d) On 30/31-05-2017 at Achabal Adda (SBI ATM) .Case FIR No.114/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Anantnag)
e) On 17/18.06.2017 at Zirpora Bijbehara (SBI ATM). Case FIR No.79/2017 U/S 457,380 RPC (P/S Bijbehara)
3. The said module is a part of LET terrorist group. In pursuance of the said criminal conspiracy, which started sometime in January 2017, the subject and some of his associates (valley based) came from Patiala to Kashmir for carrying out criminal activities. Consequently, the group stayed at Wanpoh and soon got involved in different kinds of robberies including ATM looting in South Kashmir. In these crimes, they worked in conjunction with LeT in South Kashmir.
4. The subject alongwith some other associates were arrested at PP Mir Bazar in a robbery case sometime in March 2017 and remained in judicial custody until bailed out.
5. Consequently, he joined Bashir Lashker of LET and worked as key aid. He was present in a house at Brinty Dialgam where the encounter took place on 01.07.2017 leading to the elimination of wanted LET Commander Bashir Ahmad Wani @ Lashkar @ Ukasha and Abu Maaz of Pakistan.
6. The subject used his old acquaintances and came in touch with a family at Brinty Dialgam. With the active pursuance of his associates he became part of the Over Ground worker for LeT. During the encounter, he was rescued alongwith other members of the family by the Police.
7. On further inquiry by Police, it was revealed that Sandeep Kumar Sharma @ Adil alongwith other individuals hatched a criminal conspiracy leading to providing shelter, ferrying of terrorists from one place to other for terror strikes and actively participating in terrorist activities.
8. At present investigation is in progress and the subject has been arrested. On the directions of LeT the subject alongwith his associates received LeT terrorists and dropped them at different sites for the terror action in South Kashmir . He also concealed weapons looted from Police guards in a vehicle and shifted them to different locations on the directions of LeT.
9. Investigation is going on for ascertaining the roles of his other associates in the crimes. Investigation so far conducted has revealed that LeT in league with criminal network is raising money by looting banks especially ATMs in South Kashmir Range, besides using these networks to further terrorist activities. (KNS)
