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2 'hybrid' terrorists held in Shopian, OGW in Kishtwar

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SRINAGAR/JAMMU: Two "hybrid" terrorists have been arrested along with arms and ammunition in Kashmir's Shopian, while an overground worker (OGW) linked to terror networks was nabbed in Jammu's Kishtwar.

Alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) operatives Irfan Bashir and Uzair Salam were smoked out Thursday in a joint cordon-and-search operation of Army, J&K Police and CRPF from Shopian's Baskuchan Imam Sahib area, around 60km south of Srinagar. "Hybrids" are unlisted radicalised people who carry out terrorist strikes and slip back into their routine lives.

Officials said two A-56 rifles, 4 magazines, 102 rounds and 2 hand grenades were seized from Bashir and Salam, adding the swift action by the forces led to the surrender and subsequent arrest of the duo.

In neighbouring Pulwama, police destroyed a farm with illegally cultivated poppy, reaffirming their commitment to a "drug-free society" and appealing to citizens to report any such illegal activities. In Jammu's Kishtwar, the OGW worker taken into custody was identified as Rustam Ali Bagwan of Hunjala area.

"He was found providing logistics support and maintaining close links with terrorist elements operating in the region. His involvement posed a serious threat to security and sovereignty of the Union territory," Kishtwar SSP Naresh Singh said.

Another suspect, Arshad Hussain of Kishtwar's Guriyan area, has been arrested under PSA on charges of repeated burglaries and other crimes.

The action followed orders from Kishtwar DM.

On Nov 26 last year, several OGWs and terror suspects were picked up along with weapons and other incriminating materials in a sweeping crackdown on networks linked to proscribed LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). These included 56 raids across four districts of Jammu region.

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