Three Held as Police Bust Lashkar-Linked Support Module in Rajouri

Police in Jammu and Kashmir have dismantled an Over Ground Worker (OGW) module allegedly backed by Lashkar-e-Taiba in the Pir Panjal region, arresting three men accused of facilitating infiltrating terrorists.

The arrested have been identified as Zakir Hussain and Mohammad Azam, both residents of Kotcharwal Teryath, and Mohammad Mushtaq of Udhan Rajouri.

According to investigators, preliminary questioning indicated that the three were deeply embedded in the terror network. They are accused of arranging logistical support, safe shelter and transit routes for Pakistani terrorists active in the area.

Officials said the men also served as guides, helping terror groups negotiate difficult mountain passes on routes leading towards the Kashmir Valley. They are further suspected of having provided logistical backing for several high-profile attacks, including an assault on civilians.

An Improvised Explosive Device was recovered on the basis of information supplied by one of the accused. The device, which police said had been handed to the man by terrorists for safekeeping, was allegedly intended for use in a targeted strike aimed at spreading panic.

Senior officials described the arrests as having exposed a significant link in the cross-border terror network, adding that further questioning is expected to identify more associates and sleeper cells.

A wider manhunt is under way to trace the module's backward and forward linkages.