Our Correspondent,Sopore, January 23

In a major blow to the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen, the police today claimed to have busted a network of the group’s operators in militancy infested Sopore with the arrest of five militants. They were reportedly planning to carry out strikes in the run-up to Republic Day.The police said the operation, which lasted many days, led to the arrest of 32-year-old Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi, alias Umar, of Sopore and four active associates. The police said the militants were desperately preparing to revive the outfit by planning to target security forces ahead of Republic Day celebrations.One Chinese pistol, a magazine, two Chinese hand grenades and other ammunition were recovered from the possession of the captured militants.“It is a major blow to the terrorist outfit that was desperately trying to strike ahead of Republic Day. The group was planning to carry out attacks on security forces in and around Sopore and Baramulla, particularly along the national highway,” said Gareeb Das, Deputy Inspector General of Police, north Kashmir.“The captured militants are involved in lobbing grenades in downtown Srinagar and other violence-related activities in the Valley,” he said.“An advance party of the police and Army’s 52 Rashtriya Rifles initially chased and captured Umar from Model Town in Sopore and Aijaz Ahmad Gojri, alias Chhota Kalimullah, of the old town area in Baramulla from an orchard in the Sangrama area of Sopore on Friday,” he added.Das said the group had plans to carry out IED blasts and set fire in the busy markets of Baramulla and Sopore to show the presence of the outfit.Hours later, the sustained interrogation of the two militants led to the arrest three others — Danish Gaffar Gojri, alias Kalimullah, from Drangbal in Baramulla, Javid Ahmad Dar from Khanpora in Baramulla and Mohammad Sameer Kandoo, alias Sameer Baba, from Soura in Srinagar, said the police.Danish and Javid joined the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen in September last year after they were ‘motivated’ by Umar. The police said Umar was handled by Sajad Shaheen, alias Sajad Afghani, from Pakistan. The police said Umar was given the task of ‘motivating’ youths to join the Harkat-ul-Mujahideen in the Valley.Ahead of the Prime Minister’s visit to the Kashmir valley on November 5 last year, Umar and Kandoo hurled a grenade towards the CRPF camp near Khayam Chowk in Srinagar, resulting in injuries to 13 CRPF personnel.The duo hurled grenades at CRPF bunkers at Safa-Kadal, Naid-Kadal and Bilal Colony and the police station at Khanyar in Srinagar,” said the police.