Lashkar-e-Tayiba (LeT) terrorist Talib Hussain Shah was briefly associated with a political party and also posed himself as a media-person, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) Dilbag Singh said on Monday.
However, he said such type of elements would continue to make attempts to take cover anywhere to carry forward their antinational activities and that the police are duty-bound to arrest them.
The DGP was interacting with reporters in the Mahore area of Reasi district, where he had gone to convey his appreciation to the villagers who helped the police arrest the two most-wanted LeT terrorists -- Shah, the mastermind behind a recent series of explosions in Rajouri, and his associate Faisal Ahmad Dar of Pulwama.
The two terrorists were overpowered by the villagers of remote Tukson Dhok early on Sunday and later handed over to the police. Two AK assault rifles, a pistol, seven grenades and a large quantity of ammunition were recovered from them.
Some pictures emerged on social media purportedly showing Shah with Bharatiya Janata Party leaders. One of the pictures shows Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina purportedly presenting Shah with a bouquet and a letter issued by party leader Sheikh Bashir on May 9, assigning him the role of the IT and social media in-charge of the party's Minority Morcha (Jammu province).
Responding to a question about Shah's association with the saffron party, the DGP said, "Such elements always make attempts to take cover at such places where they can continue their (antinational) activities. It is a matter of happiness that he did not remain in the party for a long time. He had a brief association with the party."
"He is being questioned and we will share details with you once his interrogation is complete," he said when asked about Shah's intention behind joining the BJP.
The DGP said inimical elements try to outsmart the security arrangements.
"It is not just a matter of a political party. He (Shah) was also posing himself as a media-person. He is not the first media-person to be arrested as we have arrested many such people in the past and such arrests will take place in the future as well.
"They will try to take shelter and we are duty-bound to identify and nab them," the top police officer said.
Singh, who announced a cash reward of Rs 2 lakh for the villagers who overpowered the two terrorists before handing them over to the police, said Pakistan and its agencies, through terror groups, are making repeated attempts to revive terrorism in Jammu province but "the Jammu police has played an appreciable role in thwarting their attempts".
"I have come to appreciate our young friends who showed exemplary courage and took on the two heavily-armed terrorists with bare hands, giving a clear-cut message that we will not allow the revival of terrorism," the DGP said.
He said people living in the remote areas saw the brute face of terrorism when terrorists used to forcibly intrude into their homes, take shelter and even exploit their women.
"The villagers have done a great job which is praiseworthy," Singh said, adding that terrorists are killing innocent people "at the behest of Pakistan and its agencies".
Referring to the terror attack on police personnel Firdous Ahmad in the Bijbehara area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district on Sunday, the DGP said the policeman challenged his attackers and escaped with two bullet injuries.
"The selective and targeted killings are part of the Pakistani conspiracy to disturb the peaceful atmosphere of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
Singh said the people of Kashmir are fully cooperating with the police and other security forces, leading to successful anti-terrorist operations.
He said the people have always stood with the security forces. "There are some black sheep in every community but mostly, the people are with the establishment, with the police and we are thankful to them," the DGP added.
