Two Pakistan-backed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist associates were on Friday arrested from Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir, on eve of India's 74th Independence Day. Ahead of Independence Day, the checking and search operations have been intensified by security forces.


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On a specific input, a search operation was launched in Tral area of Pulwama by the Awantipora Police along with 42 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 180 Batallion Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).


Both these terror associates have been involved in providing shelter, logistics and other support to the JeM terrorists as well as in transporting of arms and ammunition of the terrorists in Tral and Awantipora areas of Pulwama said a police statement. 


The terror associates have been identified as Reyaz Ahmad Bhat, a resident of Amirabad Tral and Mohd Umer Tantray, a resident of Aripal Tral. Incriminating material including explosives has been recovered from them. An FIR has been registered against them in Tral Police Station under relevant sections of law.


This comes on a day when JeM carried out an attack on a police party in Nowgam in which two cops were martyred. Vijay Kumar, Inspector General Police, Kashmir said, "Two terrorists came and started firing on police personnel in which two cops were killed and one suffered injuries. We have cordoned off the whole area. Prima facie, it seems there is a hand of Jaish-e-Mohammad."


Kumar, who visited the spot, said, “We have inputs to suggest that Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit carried out the attack. The terrorists have been identified and they will be neutralised soon.”


"We received many inputs. We got an input that terrorists can strike in any area. Our police were on alert. One of the terrorists was hiding behind and started firing. We have identified him. He is from the JeM group. We will neutralise him soon. There was people`s movement in the area. That`s why police personnel could not fire as it would have resulted in civilian casualties," he said. 


Two police personnel were martyred and one other suffered injuries in the attack by terrorists near Nowgam bypass on Friday ahead of the Independence Day celebrations on August 15.


The incident took place after terrorists started firing indiscriminately upon the police party on the outskirts of Srinagar city.


Earlier on August 13 (Thursday), the security forces busted three hideouts of terrorists in Awantipora in South Kashmir`s Pulwama district during a raid conducted by Jammu and Kashmir Police along with Army`s 50 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and 130 Battalion of CRPF.