For the first time during three decades long militancy in Jammu region, Police and Army today recovered Rs 25.81 lakh worth hawala money meant for terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir and arrested two persons—one from Mendhar and another from Kashmir—amid reports that the cash was to be delivered to top militant commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and Hizbul Mujahideen for spreading terror activities in the Valley as well as twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.

Recovery of such a large quantity of hawala money from a village named Kanga Gali located close to the fencing on Line of Control (LoC) in Mendhar sector of Poonch district came close on the heels of intensified militancy in Jammu region with encounter still on at Thannamandi in Rajouri district for fifth day today after the elimination of two militants and prior gun battles at Sunderbani and Nowshera in which four militants were killed and two Army soldiers attained martyrdom.

Additional DGP Jammu Mukesh Singh, DIG Rajouri-Poonch Range Vivek Gupta and SSP Poonch Vinod Kumar were personally monitoring questioning of two persons arrested along with Rs 25.81 lakh worth hawala money.
Police disclosed identity of the arrested persons as Mohammad Shakeel son of Mohammad Munshi, a resident of Kanga and Mohammad Alyas son of Noor Mohammad R./o Kanga Gali in Mendhar tehsil of Poonch district.
Reliable sources told the Excelsior that Mohammad Alyas was the first to be arrested from village Kanga Gali which is located very close to the fencing along LoC in Mendhar tehsil while Mohammad Shakeel was arrested on his disclosures from Kashmir.
Army and police jointly raided the houses of Alyas and Shakeel and recovered Rs 25,81,500 worth hawala money.
“Seizure of such a large quantity of hawala money is unprecedented. This is for the first time that over Rs 25 lakh worth hawala money has been recovered in any part of Jammu region during three decades long militancy,” sources said, adding that both the arrested accused have been shifted to a safer location in Poonch for sustained interrogation which is being done by multiple agencies in view of sensitivity of the cases.

“Efforts are on to ascertain from where the duo got such a huge hawala money and the militants commanders to whom it was to be delivered,” sources said, adding preliminary investigations have confirmed that the money was to be used for terror funding in Kashmir and twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
The hawala money was to be delivered to the commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen outfits, sources pointed out without further elaborating saying investigations are at very preliminary stage. However, they confirmed that the seizure was hawala money and had to be used for terror funding.
“As the houses of both the arrested persons are located close to fencing on the LoC , the investigators are looking at Pakistani angle as earlier also there had been reports that Pakistan army and Intelligence agencies had exploited the people living close to fence to operate as their conduits after being lured with money,” sources said.
They added that the hawala money was being dumped in the houses of Alyas and Shakeel in the border areas and had to be delivered to the militants slowly. They houses had been converted into hideouts by the militants, they said. The houses were subjected to thorough searches by Army and Police and the hawala money was found hidden.

Police have registered a case under FIR No. 305/2021 and Sections 17, 18, 40 of Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and 120-B IPC at Police Station Mendhar against both the accused for further investigations.
Sources said the accused might be shifted to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) in Jammu for sustained interrogation.
Meanwhile, search operation for third militant continued in Upper Panghai forests and surrounding areas in Thannamandi in Rajouri district for fifth consecutive day today but further success eluded Army and police.
“The searches will continue till the remaining militant is eliminated,” a police official said.
Two militants including one belonging to Shopian were gunned down by Army and Police in Upper Panghai forests during an encounter when they were trying to reach Dera Ki Gali to take forest route along Mughal Road to reach South Kashmir’s Shopian district. Their third associate managed to escape and is continuously being searched by security forces.
Army and police haven’t suffered any casualties.
Last month, Army had gunned down three militants in Sunderbani and one in Nowshera in Rajouri district. Two Army soldiers were also martyred in Sunderbani encounter.

Courtesy: Daily Excelsior: 10th August, 2021