J-K: After highway attack, militants ‘changed clothes, ate food’ at a villager’s house, search ops underway to nab them

The militants also reportedly offered money to the villager's family to take them to the Valley. His family, however, refused to guide them.

J-K: After highway attack, militants 'changed clothes, ate food' at a villager's house, serach ops underway to nab them

Officials believe the militants infiltrated J&K from Pakistan recently. (Representational)

The militants, who opened fire at a police check post near Jhajjar Kotli on the Jammu-Srinagar highway injuring a civilian, on Wednesday, sought refuge at a villager’s house some 400 metres away from the local police station after the attack. While search operations are underway to nab them, Senior Superintendent of Police, Jammu, Vivek Gupta said a local shopkeeper had approached the police with this information.

Sudershan, 52, told the police that the three militants had arrived at their residence at 8 pm, carrying backpacks and rifles. His father Isher Dass and his wife were at home at the time. On seeing them, his wife fell unconscious. The militants told them not to get scared and assured them that they would not harm anyone. They asked for some food saying that they had not eaten anything for 2-3 days, Sudershan said, adding that his father offered them biscuits and apples. They asked for a change of clothes and food before disappearing.

Read | Day after firing at police on Jammu-Srinagar highway, two militants killed in ongoing encounter

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Sudershan saw the militants when he reached home. He told the police that one of them appeared to be a Kashmiri and the other two Punjabis. He added that they offered his family money to take them to the Valley. His family, however, refused to guide them. They also enquired about a nearby mosque. When they were told there was none in the village, the militants departed towards the highway. They warned the family against raising an alarm.

Officials believe the militants infiltrated J&K from Pakistan recently and boarded a Srinagar-bound truck on Wednesday, from which they opened fire at the check post. The militants had agreed to pay the truck driver, identified as Riyaz Ahmed from Pulwama, Rs 30,000 — of which Rs 20,000 was paid in advance — to take them to the Valley. Ahmed and one Mohammad Iqbal, who was also on the truck, were arrested on Wednesday and their truck seized.

At Jhajjar Kotli, after firing at the police party, the militants had escaped through Jhajjar nullah, leaving the truck behind. En route, they came across a sericulture guard and fired at him as well.

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