S.Tahir-Ul Haq
Early Times Report
BARAMULLA, June 3: In a breakthrough in recent attacks on mobile towers and the killing of two persons in north Kashmir, police have arrested four persons including the mastermind behind the grenade attacks in Sopore town. Meanwhile, on Wednesday 90 percent of the telecommunication networks were restored in north Kashmir districts of Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora.
A top police official told early times that four persons have been arrested who are allegedly involved in the recent attacks that were carried out by gunmen in Baramulla district.
All the four persons are Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit. The head of the group has been arrested from Badambagh, Sopore where many mobile towers are located.
The official said that investigation is going on in full swing and more arrests are expected in coming days. He said that these persons are also responsible for the grenade attack on mobile tower in Kralateng, Sopore.
However, sources said that police have identified the person who had allegedly installed a Kenwood Repeater device on one of the mobile towers in Sopore."
Meanwhile, the Deputy Inspector General (DIG) north Kashmir range, Garib Dass, said the 90 percent of the mobile services have been restored in the region. "We have restored 90 percent of the telecommunication network in north Kashmir including at Kupwara, Handwara, Sopore, Baramulla, Pattan and Bandipora. Now, there are places where we have technical shortages and we are working to restore that as well," he said.
Dass said that proper security arrangements have been made for mobile towers. "Policemen would be deployed at sensitive places. The patrolling would be carried out. There would be round the clock security and in coming one or two days, the services would be fully restored," he said.
The ongoing mobile phone crisis have its roots in North Kashmir's Sopore where on May 1 suspected militants raided telecom outlets of Airtel, Vodafone and Aircel after their "hi-tech communication device" fitted atop on a mobile tower went missing.
Following the raid, posters of previously unknown "Lashkar-e-Islam" emerged in parts of Sopore calling telecom officials and people associated with it to wind up the business or face bullets. The outfit blamed mobile phones for the killing of top militants in the town. The threats followed spate of attacks including on telecom officials and retailers which left two people dead.
"Our special teams have been conducting patrolling from last three days. Special Operation Group (SOG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) would be deployed at critical areas and spots," Das said. |
