Arrested chief of Lashkar-e-Mustafa terror outfit was planning major attack in Jammu: Police

Terrorist Hidayatullah Malik, who was arrested on Saturday was planning a major attack in Jammu city being the winter capital of the Jammu and Kashmir, police said on Saturday.

Malik, the chief of terror orgsation Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM), a front orgsation of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) is one of ten accused in a case pertaining to the detection of the powerful car bomb in Pulwama in May 2020, which was later on destroyed on the spot to avert any major mishap, Jammu and Kashmir police said in a statement.

"Four terrorist associates, who were arrested earlier from Anantnag, had revealed that terrorist Hidayatullah Malik was planning a major attack in Jammu city being the winter capital of the Jammu and Kashmir," the statement said.

Malik was arrested near Kunjw in Jammu in a joint operation by Jammu and Anantnag police at about 3:30 pm on Saturday. Incriminating materials, arms and ammunition including two pistols and grenades have been recovered from his possession.

During the joint operation, the said terrorist attacked the joint party and tried to escape from the spot but the team apprehended him, police said adding that further investigation is underway.

( With inputs from ANI )