Police arrested two “hybrid terrorists”, hours after they killed two labourers from Uttar Pradesh in a grenade attack in Shopian district in the southern part of Kashmir on Tuesday.
Speaking to media persons, Additional Director General of Police (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar said a hunt has been launched to nab the mastermind of the attack.
Manish Kumar and Ram Sagar – both from UP’s Kannauj – suffered critical injuries after terrorists lobbed a grenade inside their rented accommodation in Harmain area of Shopian last night.
They were rushed to a nearby hospital where they succumbed to their injuries, as per the Kashmir Police.
Soon after, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation. While the main attacker, identified as Imran Bashir Ganie, was apprehended within hours during the night itself, his associate was arrested later, said ADGP Kumar.
As per the police, Ganie is a resident of Harmain.
The attacker was working for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commanders Danish and Abid, informed Kumar, adding that the police are conducting further investigation into the matter.
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He said non-locals remain a soft target as they don’t have security. “We will give a befitting reply. Hardcore militants behind the attack will be neutralized,” he added.
“We have carried raids at hideouts disclosed by the arrested hybrid militant.”
The term “Hybrid terrorist” refers to radicalised persons who are not listed as a terrorist in the record of security forces. They carry out terror attacks on instructions from their handlers and slip back into their routine lives.
This is the second terror attack within a period of three days in Shopian. On Saturday, October 15, terrorists shot dead Pooran Krishan Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit, in Choudry Gund area of the district.
Security officials in the Valley believe that the fresh round of attacks targeting Kashmiri Pandits and non-local workers is aimed to derail the improving security situation in Kashmir.