J&K: Krishna Dhaba firing accused arrested, 2 militant hideouts busted

Srinagar: Security forces arrested a person allegedly involved in the firing incident at the famous Krishna Dhaba in Srinagar on Wednesday and busted two militant hideouts in the forest area in south Kashmir district of Anantnag.

Security forces recovered arms and ammunition -including three AK-56 rifles, two pistols and four grenades from the hideouts.

Official sources on Sunday said that following specific information, a joint Cordon and Search Operation (CASO) was launched by Army and J&K Police in south Kashmir on Saturday evening. “During the CASO, security forces apprehended a suspect, who during questioning gave way the locations of two militant hideouts in the forest area in Anantnag,” they said. 

They said security force teams were sent to these locations and two militant hideouts were busted. “Security forces recovered three AK 56 rifles, two Chinese pistols, four grenades, telescope, AK/Pistol magazines and other incriminating material from these hideouts,” they said.

The arrest and recovery come days after three newly recruited militants, who wounded the son of the owner of the famous Krishna Dhaba in Srinagar on Wednesday, were arrested along with a pistol in south Kashmir.

Aakash Mehra, son of Ramesh Kumar Mehra, the owner of Krishna Dabba, was injured by militants at his restaurant in Sonwar in Srinagar at around 1935 hrs on Wednesday.

The firing incident came at a time when foreign envoys from 23 different countries were on a two-day long visit to J&K to assess the overall ground situation in the Union Territory (UT). 

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir range, Vijay Kumar, on Friday said that three newly recruited militants, who were responsible for the attack, were arrested along with a pistol in south Kashmir.

He said the trio was recruited by a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) commander Gazi, who had tasked them to carry out attack at Krishna Dhaba as the foreign delegation was in the city. (UNI)