Communication network busted in Valley

A sophisticated communication equipment has been recovered by security forces here while eight persons have been killed and 40 injured in se...

A sophisticated communication equipment has been recovered by security forces here while eight persons have been killed and 40 injured in separate incidents across the valley since yesterday, police said.

The US-made advanced communication system was seized by a joint team of 24 Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operations Group from Nagin on the outskirts of Srinagar on Sunday night. It was hidden in a false wall in a house and was used by militants for communicating outside the country. The operation followed a tip-off by a civilian.

A police spokesman said the equipment uses an encryption system for coding and decoding messages with a frequency of 3-30 MHZ. It has a range of 250 km and can operate from a vehicle or a fixed station, he said, adding that such an advanced communication system was not available commercially.

The troops also recovered an AK-56 rifle, three magazines and 100 rounds, one under-barrel grenade launcher, three cells and small radio sets from the house, the spokesman added. The seizure follows yesterday8217;s big haul from Baramulla.

Meanwhile, miltants today hurled a grenade towards a security force vehicle at a bus stand at Shopian in Pulwama district which killed two persons and left 36 others injured.

The killed have been idenfied as Nazir Ahmad Bhat of Tranz, Shopian and Abdul Rashid Nengroo, a forest guard of Padbhawa.

In the night intervening June 22-23, miltants intruded into a house at Lassipora, Sogam in Kupwara and fired indiscriminately, killing Abdul Ahad Dar, his wife and sons Raja and Abdul Rashid Dar. One person was injured in the firing.

Story continues below this ad

In an exchange of fire between militants and security forces at Gagal forests in Kupwara today two persons 8212; Ghulam Hassan Chopan and Mohammad Yousuf Dar 8212; were killed while three others including a woman sustained injuries, police said. The injured were immediately hospitalised.

Yesterday, body of one Sartaj Ahamed Dar was recovered from Kundalan in Shopian.

Police said the miltants had slit his throat. Later in the day security forces apprehended a suspect, Mohammad Shafi, son of Wali Mohammad of Gund Chotra, Handwara in Kupwara district alongwith two AK-57 magazines, 40 rounds and two handgrenades.