5 exfiltrators, one HM militant arrested another surrender'S in J

Srinagar, May 18 (UNI) Five Kashmiri exfiltrators and a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) militant were arrested and an ultra surrendered in the Jammu and Kashmir overnight, official sources said.

They said a tip-off was received that a militant organisation has recently recruited some educated youths from Anantnag district of South Kashmir who were being taken to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK).

Naka checks were established at different places in the frontier district of Kupwara and Baramulla.

It was only yesterday night that a group of five youths were spotted near Larpora, Lolab, in the frontier district of Kupwara, sources said. The security forces challenged them when they were heading towards the LoC for crossing over to POK for receiving arms training.

The youths Fayaz Ahmad, Bilal Ahmad, Bashir Ahmad and M Ahmad during the questioning revealed they were forced by a guide of a militant outfit in south Kashmir district of Anantnag to join the militant outfit.

The arrested youths gave details about how they came in contact with the guide who later took them to different places before reaching Kupwara.

This is the second such attempt by the Kashmiri youths to cross over to POK for receiving arms training. However, earlier attempt was also foiled by alert security forces last month.

Such incidents are a serious concern for the authorities as militant outfits are still been able to recruit youths in their ranks when almost all mainstream political parities are appealing to the government to allow safe return of Kashmiris from POK since 1990.

A HM militant was arrested along with one wireless set and two UBGLs (Under-Barrel Grenade Launcher) at Handwara.

Another ultra surrendered before police at Gandoh, a police spokesman said.

UNI