Man arrested with grenade in Kupwara district

Srinagar, January 18

A man was arrested on Friday after he was found in possession of a hand grenade in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, police said.

The arrest at a motor vehicle checkpoint in Lolab area of Kupwara district came on a day when militants carried out two grenade attacks on security forces in Kashmir, including one in Lal Chowk area of the city.

Initial investigations revealed that the accused, Mohammad Aslam Beigh, was planning to join militant ranks, a police spokesman said, adding, he was motivated to take up arms through social media by “entities based in Pakistan”.

Beigh was found in possession of a grenade and some incriminating material, the spokesman said.

On Friday, ultras lobbed a grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force bunker at Ghanta Ghar (Clock Tower) in Lal Chowk. Militants also hurled a grenade at security forces in Shopian district of south Kashmir. No casualties were reported in the incidents.

The attacks came around a week ahead of Republic Day celebrations. PTI