Top JeM Comndr killed, another arrested in Jammu encounter; Woman teacher among 4 picked up for questioning
By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : Delhi and Jammu police gunned a top Jaish-e-Muhammad commander and arrested another in injured condition in a joint overnight operation in Jammu city, winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir.
A Sub Inspector of Police of Delhi police was also injured in the gun battle, which lasted for more than three hours. Police said that it has picked up four persons, including a former Additional Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir High Court and a woman teacher for questioning.
The slain militant was active since last seven years and was involved in several subversive activities besides masterminding Ayodhya attack on 5 July 2005, police said.
Identified as Saifullah Qarri of Pakistan, Divisional Commander of JeM, the slain militant is believed to have masterminded the suicide attack in 2005 on a disputed holy shrine in Ayodhya, Inspector General of Police Jammu Zone SP Vaid told News Agency of Kashmir.
Vaid further claimed that Qarri was monitoring the JeM activities across India and was wanted in several cases.
He said that the joint operation was launched by Delhi and Jammu police after getting specific inputs from sister intelligence agencies in Ramzan Pura area of Janipur, late last evening.
The special team cordoned off the house of a government teacher, Maqsooda of Mendhar, Poonch in Ramzanpur locality of Janipur, late on Friday night. The operation led to a fierce gun battle in which Qarri was killed on the spot, while another militant Zaffar Iqbal son of Muhammad Yousaf of PoK, was arrested when he was trying to break the cordon in injured condition.
Police said that one Sub Inspector of Delhi police was also injured in the attack, who was later shifted to Delhi. The injured militant was undergoing treatment in SMGS hospital, Jammu.
Sources said that the police arrested four family members in whose house the militants were hiding from last more than fifteen days. The arrested persons include the female government teacher and his brother, who is said to be former Additional Advocate General of Jammu High Court.
One Chinese pistol, 2 Chinese grenades, one satellite phone, 7 mobile phones, 4 SIM cards, 3 Matrix sheets and Rs. 30,000/- cash have been recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
Giving details, Police said that Saifullah after crossing over to this side in the year 2004 took shelter in the house of one Asif Iqbal alias Farooq son of Bashir resident of Sakhi Maidan tehsil Mendhar in the year 2004.
During his stay there, police said, Saifullah successfully motivated Asif Iqbal to join his JeM outfit and started expanding his network by his help in Jammu division.
“First of all Saifullah handed over Rs 2.20 lakhs to Asif for purchasing a Tata Sumo to be used for ferrying ammunition from one place to the other”, a police spokesman told News Agency of Kashmir. The vehicle bearing registration number JK-12-0267 was purchased from one Shakeel Ahmed Khan.
Later, Saifullah gave Rs. 5000 to Asif and directed him to precede Srinagar and contact Adnan (Code name) for getting Tata Sumo modified, for concealment of weapons, sources said.
Asif again met Qari in Mendhar where the latter concealed three AK-47 rifles, 7 magazines and 6 grenades, in two specially designed boxes under the seat of the vehicle and directed Asif to drive the vehicle to Amritsar to meet JeM sympathizer Mushtaq.
Qari paid Rs. 13,000 to Asif to meet the route expenses for this purpose, police said. Mushtaq took Asif to his house at Panipat.
After crossing Panipat city Mushtaq asked Asif to drive the vehicle to Aligarh where he dropped the weapons in a double storey building. Later, the said weapons were used in the attack on Ayodhya temple on 5 July, 2005 on the directions of the slain militant.
Police further said that the slain militant had sneaked into Jammu to carry out attacks on the eve of Independence Day.