Terror plot to attack J&K religious places foiled, trio arrested

Jammu: Police say three militant associates have been arrested on Sunday besides recovering six grenades from them, foiling their alleged plot to carry out attacks on religious places.

A joint team of Jammu and Kashmir Police and its Special Operation Group along with Rashtriya Rifles' Romeo Force's 49th Battalion set up a checkpoint in the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday at Basooni and intercepted a vehicle in which Mustafa Khan, a resident of Galuta Harni, was travelling. He was apprehended and questioned over his suspicious movement, said Senior Superintendent of Police, Poonch, Ramesh Angral.

"During questioning, the accused broke down and confessed his involvement in militant related activities and on his confession, two more militant associates were apprehended -- Mohd Yaseen, son of Walayat Khan and Rayees Ahmed, son of Mohammad Iqbal, both resident of Dabbi Balakote," police said.

Questioning the trio led to vital clues, recovering six grenades during the searches in the house of Mustafa Khan, says a report.

The arrested persons, the SSP also said ,were in regular contact with the handlers in Pakistan who were instructing them to carry out terror strikes.

"It has also come to fore that the accused were planning to carry out strike at religious places in Poonch which was an attempt to trigger communal tension in the region. Some videos regarding tactics of grenade lobbing were also found in the mobile phones of accused," police said.

The SSP says it is a major success for security forces as a major terror plot of militant strikes and inciting communal violence has been averted in Poonch.

IANS report with edits