Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday arrested at least seven Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist associates Awantipora area and prevented six youths from the Valley from joining terrorist groups operating in the valley.

An FIR – 51/2021 has been registered at the Tral police station

“In multiple raids, Awantipora Police along with Army 42 RR and CRPF180 BN/CRPF 130 BN apprehended six youths,” the police said in a statement. As per the police statement, the apprehended youths were planning to join terrorist ranks. The arrested youth were motivated and indoctrinated by the terrorist associates and terrorist to join the terrorist ranks.

Police statement further reads, “Youth developed contact with active terrorists in the area and was lured into joining the militancy ranks. The arrested youths were motivated by Pakistan based self style terrorist commanders to join militancy and asked to establish contact with their ground cadre in Awantipora and Tral area,” read the police statement.

Acting on specific inputs, Awantipora Police, along with security forces busted terrorist module and arrested seven terrorist associates of outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad. The arrested terrorist Associates are involved in providing logistics, shelter, transporting of arms/ammunition and other kind of support to terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Tral and Awantipora areas, police said.

The arrested terrorist associates were in touch with Pakistan-based self-styled commanders through different social media platforms. Police also recovered incriminating material from their possession.

An FIR – 51/2021 has been registered at the Tral police station under relevant sections of law.

The six youth prevented from jojning terrorist ranks have been identified as Aqib Ahmad Dobi from Tral, Mufeez Ahmad Zargar from Tral-e-Payeen, Saifullah Ahmad Shah from Takiya Gulab Bagh Tral, Liyaqat Ahmad Khanday alias Amir from Amlar Tral, Shoaib Ahmad Bhat from Chersoo Awantipora and Bilal Ahmad Zaboo from Tral-e-Bala.

“The said youth were motivated and indoctrinated by the terrorists and their associates to join terror ranks. Preliminary investigation revealed that the misguided youth were motivated by Pakistan-based self-styled terror commanders to join militancy,” the police said.