Ahead of Amarnath Yatra, security forces bust LeT terror funding module in Jammu

Security forces on Monday busted a terror funding module of the proscribed terror outfit - Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Jammu ahead of the Amarnath yatra, police said on Monday.

“The Special Operations Group (SOG) Jammu - an anti-terror arm of the J&K Police and Army have busted a terror funding module of the LeT,” said Jammu zone Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mukesh Singh.

Initial information revealed that banned terrorist organization Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) had activated a module for carrying out terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir particularly in the Jammu region and in furtherance to this, a delivery of funds was to take place in Jammu, the IGP said.

“On this information, a team of SOG Jammu and Peer Mitha Police apprehended one Mubashir Bhat, son of Farooq Ahmed Bhat, a native of Sazan Doda, who is a part of the same module and had been tasked by the handlers from across (the border) to visit Jammu and collect a consignment of Hawala money for further use by the terrorists and their supporters,” said Singh.

During the search operation, one bag containing Rs 1.5 lakh rupees which was concealed in a tiffin box was recovered, he said.

Initial questioning revealed that the money was sent by Haroon, a self styled commander of LeT from Pakistan to be delivered to the terrorists through their overground workers in Doda.

A case has been registered in Peer Mitha Police Station and further investigation of the case is going on to unearth its linkages, modus operandi, etc, said the IGP.

On June 29 following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Masood in an encounter in South Kashmir, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh had said that the Doda district has become militancy free.

Meanwhile, the Amarnath yatra which had been scheduled to take place between July 21 and August 3 from the shorter Baltal track in view of the Covid-19 pandemic has now come under a cloud.

Following a spike in Covid-19 cases across Jammu and Kashmir and high court directions to “urgently take all decisions regarding the Yatra in view of the pandemic,”, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) is waiting for the final decision on the annual pilgrimage from the administration.