‘Militant’ held from BJP candidate’s vehicle
Shariq Majeed/Tribune News Service

Rajouri, December 16
The police today reportedly nabbed an alleged militant from the private vehicle believed to be belonging to Dev Raj, who is contesting elections on BJP ticket from the Darhal constituency, from the Sunderbani area of this border district.

Reliable intelligence sources said on specific information, a team of special operation group of the Rajouri police led by DSP Operations Farooq Qaisar apprehended Satpal, son of Amar Singh of Mora Daraj in Buddhal, belonging to the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) outfit.

The police apprehended him from the vehicle bearing registration number JK02E-9545 from near Sunderbani today. They alleged that the vehicle belonged to Dev Raj who is contesting assembly election as BJP candidate from the Darhal assembly segment.

“Satpal along with his wife, two brothers and father-in-law Shiv Charan Yadav was on the way from Jammu to Rajouri in a private vehicle belonging to Dev Raj. He was apprehended by the police near Sunderbani,” an intelligence source said.

“Satpal is being interrogated by the police to dole out his involvement in various militancy incidents,” the source said.

Meanwhile, police sources revealed that Satpal was working as a peon in Kalakote tehsil office in 2001 before joining militancy. They added that Satpal remained active in the Buddhal and Dharamsaal areas in Rajouri district and Mahore area of Reasi district.

The sources said Satpal was one of the close aides of HM area commanders Kirpal Singh and Sham Lal, who remained active in Kalakote, Budhal and Dharamsal areas. In 2004, Satpal went underground and was arrested by the police after he made first appearance in the Rajouri district.

Even as senior officers of the police declined to divulge anything about the operation, police sources confirmed the arrest of the alleged militant from the vehicle belonging to the BJP candidate.

Repeated attempts to contact the BJP candidate didn't materialise as he didn't attend the phone calls.