Poonch: Two alleged Lashkar-e-Toiba
militants, who claimed to have given up arms, were today taken
into custody along with nine family members after they tried
to illegally cross the LoC from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, a
senior army official said.
The suspected militants, Showkat Ahmed and Showkat
Hussain, claimed that they wanted to return to their homes in
Poonch.
"The two along with their wives and seven children
were crossing Line of Control from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
(PoK) at Nakarkoti forward belt in Digwar sector of Poonch
district around 0830 hours," the official said.
Ahmed and Hussain belonged to Marhote village of
Surankote tehsil of Poonch district and had earlier crossed
over to PoK in 2001 and joined LeT group there, the official
said.
During interrogation, they claimed that militants had
forcibly taken them for arms training in Pakistani militant
camps for induction into LeT, he said.
They married there and were working as labourers in
Bagh district of PoK for past several years, the official
said, adding they told interrogators that they were returning
to their homes in Poonch.
"They are being interrogated by a joint team before
being formally handed over to police," the official said.
Two mobile phones with Pakistani simcards, Rs 14,500
in Pakistani currency, two identity cards and clothes were
seized from them, he said.
Jammu and Kashmir government had last year unveiled
the Return and Rehabilitation policy for Kashmiri youths who
had given up arms and over 200 application were recieved by
police chiefs of various districts from families of such men
seeking permission for their return from across LoC.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 25, 2011, 15:55