Jammu: Some people associated with
cross-LoC trade are indulging in providing 'hawala' money to
Lashkar-e-Toiba militants for terror activities in Kashmir
valley, police have claimed.
This came to light following the arrest of five people
in a case in which Rs 13,85,000 obtained from sale of goods
sent from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK)was allegedly
distributed among terrorists and others associated with LeT
outfit for terrorist activities in the valley, they said.
"Some people linked with cross-LoC trade between Jammu
and Kashmir and PoK have been found indulging in providing
hawala money and helping terrorists involved in anti-national
activities and terrorism," police officials said.
On October 4, 2009, police station Sadar in Srinagar
received a docket to the effect that an active member of LeT
Mushtaq Ahmed Lone of Budgam, with the help of his
associates Pakistani militant commander Furqan and a local
terrorist Mehmood Ahmad Dar of Kulgam -- who have been in
PoK for last 18 years, are sending trade items and grains
through a firm Sartaj Traders in Purkhoo area of Jammu
city, they said.
The amount of Rs 13,85,000 obtained from selling these
items was distributed among LeT terrorists and their associates
to spread terrorist activities in valley, they said.
A case was registered and five persons - Mushtaq Ahmed
Lone (Budgam district), Vipin Kumar (Punjab), Suraj Parkash
(owner of Sartaj Trader, Jammu), Sanjeev Tandon (Punjab) and
Zahoor Ahmed Dar (Kulgam district) -- were arrested and
investigation are on, they said.
The trade is being monitored by security agencies,
who have also recovered SIM cards from the possession of some
truck drivers as well as travellers at Chakan-da-Bagh crossing
point in Poonch during frisking and checking. These have been
sent to Zonal Police Headquarters for further investigations.
Goods worth Rs 272.13 crore have traded via two LoC
cross points of Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh in Baramulla and
Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir since October 21, 2008
when the cross border trade between J&K and PoK was started.
While goods worth Rs 160.21 crore were brought from
PoK, those worth Rs 111.92 crore were sent from J&K during the
period, they said.
PTI
First Published: Sunday, March 21, 2010, 16:58