The Jammu and Kashmir police on Sunday said two wanted Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) men, including ‘commander’ Talib Hussain, were apprehended by locals and handed over to the police in a village in the Jammu division’s Reasi district. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced a reward money of ₹5 lakh for the villagers.
A police spokesperson said the LeT militants, Hussain from Jammu’s Rajouri and Faisal Ahmed Dar from south Kashmir’s Pulwama, were apprehended by the villagers of Tukson Dhok who “showed extreme courage in apprehending them”.
Two AK rifles, seven grenades, one pistol and a huge quantity of ammunition were recovered from their possession, the police said.
The police had recently declared Hussain a wanted militant, who was behind the growing incidents of militancy in the Pir Panjal Valley, including the three blasts in Rajouri district earlier this year. The police also announced a reward on him.
“Hussain was in constant touch with LeT terrorist Qasim based in Pakistan and was involved in at least three cases of improvised explosive device blast in Rajouri district, besides civilian killings and grenade blasts,” the police said.
During the preliminary questioning, the police learnt that both the terrorists were also in touch with a Pakistani LeT handler Salman.
Mr. Sinha applauded the courage of villagers. “I salute the bravery of villagers of Tukson Dhok, Reasi, who apprehended two most-wanted terrorists. Such determination by the common man shows the end of terrorism is not far away. The UT government will extend ₹ 5 lakh cash reward to villagers for the gallant act against terrorists and terrorism,” he said.
BJP member
Meanwhile, a viral picture online showed Hussain as a member of the BJP.
The BJP appointed Hussian as in charge of party's IT and social media in Jammu province, as per a statement issued on the party letterhead in May this year.
"Mr. Talib Hussain Shah, at Draj Kotranka, budhan, District Rajouri, shall be the new IT & Social Media Incharge BJP Minority Mocha Jammu Province with immediate effect" read the statement issued by the BJP Minority Morcha J&K.
A BJP leader in Srinagar said the party was looking into the issue.
The arrested LeT 'commander' has posed for pictures with top BJP leaders, including J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Sources said Hussian was with the BJP for around seven years and also worked as a media coordinator for the party in Rajouri district.
"It's worrisome such dangerous people are in the ranks of the BJP. They are threat to the country. The BJP has to provide answers as to why such people are in their ranks," Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma said.
