Srinagar: Law enforcement personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Bandipora district successfully thwarted a terror module operating in the region. Acting on specific intelligence gathered by the J&K Police regarding the activities of a hybrid terrorist, a strategic checkpoint was established in the Dardgund area on Friday.
During the operation, a suspicious individual attempted to evade the joint security team but was promptly apprehended. The individual, identified as Shafayat Zubair Rishi from Nesbal Sumbal, was found to be in possession of incriminating items, including a pistol, pistol magazine, eight rounds of ammunition, and other materials.
Further investigation led to the revelation that Rishi was en route to collect a cache of arms and ammunition from Munira Begum, the wife of the deceased terrorist and area commander Yousuf Choupan, in the Pazalpora area. It was discovered that Rishi had been in contact with a Pakistan-based terror handler, Mushtaq Ahmad Mir, who had infiltrated the neighboring country in 1999 and was working to revive terrorist activities in the district.
Rishi’s criminal history included involvement in the 2000 Kothibagh IED blast, which claimed the lives of 14 individuals, including 12 police personnel. He had affiliations with the Hizbul Mujahideen and later the Al-Badr terror group. Rishi was also implicated in an incident in 2009 where an Army vehicle was set ablaze in Sumbal. He had been granted bail in that case.
Acting on information provided by Munira Begum, the authorities recovered a significant cache of arms and ammunition from a nearby forest area. The seizure included a Krinkov AK-47 rifle, three magazines, 90 rounds of ammunition, and a pen pistol intended for delivery to Shafait Reshi. Munira Begum’s disclosures during interrogation revealed that she had visited Pakistan twice.
The dismantling of this terror cell underscores the commitment of security forces to combatting terrorism in the region, ensuring the safety and security of the people.