The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday arrested a Jaish-e-Mohammad member in Baramulla district, PTI reported quoting the police. He had reportedly joined the terror outfit a month ago.

“Mohsin Manzoor Salhea, a resident of Arampora-Azadgunj area, was arrested on a credible input during an anti-militant operation in Baramulla town,” said a police spokesperson. Arms and ammunition were also recovered from his possession.

Two cases were registered against Salhea at the Baramulla police station this year. “Salhea was part of a group involved in planning and executing militant attacks in the area,” said the police.

Salhea was allegedly planning to kill a police officer, according to India Today. He was part of a new three-member terror module that was activated prior to August 5 when the Centre revoked the state’s special status. “Terror plot of the module was to target police, security force and other civilian targets to foment violence and trouble so that normalcy does not return to the Valley,” said Director General of Police Dilbagh Singh, according to India Today.

On August 21, Salhea and his associate Iqbal Naikoo had narrowly escaped during an encounter with the security forces. Another member of the terror group and a special police officer were killed in the gunfight in Baramulla district while a sub inspector was seriously injured. This was the first encounter in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre revoked its special status and decided to split it into two Union territories.

Naikoo was arrested a week after the encounter in an operation. With the arrest of third and last terrorist, this “terror group of JeM had been smashed”, claimed the police.

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