Top terrorist involved in murder of three BJP workers arrested: J&K police

New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested a top terrorist affiliated with The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) terror outfit, in connection with the killing of three BJP workers and a policeman in south Kashmir last year.

The terrorist identified as Zahoor Ahmad Rather alias "Sahil", “Khalid” was arrested in Samba district of Jammu region. A specific information by Anantnag police led to the arrest of Rather.

“Rather was a resident of south Kashmir who had reportedly moved to Samba to receive an arms consignment from Pakistan. He was arrested from his rented accommodation in Bari Brahmana area during a joint raid by Anantnag and Samba police,” a senior police official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The official said that Rather was involved in the killing of three BJP workers in Kulgam and a policeman at Furra village in south Kashmir district last year. He termed the arrest of the terrorist as a major breakthrough.

The security officials said Rather took arms training in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in 2004 after which he infiltrated into India along with five foreign terrorists. He had surrendered in 2006 but joined TRF last year.

However, he surrendered in 2006 but got recycled into militancy last year after joining the TRF. The interrogation of the captured terrorist is underway. Police expect to recover information which could lead to further arrests.

Last week police had arrested a self-styled commander of Lashkar-e-Mustafa Hidayatullah Malik alias "Hasnain" from Kunjwani area of Jammu. The arrest of Rather is yet another success for the security forces.

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