LeT module with active Hindu member busted in Kashmir

Police also noted Sandeep Kumar Sharma, who was arrested here earlier this month, was not the first non-Muslim to have joined a jihadi outfit.

Giving details to the media here, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Munir Khan said: "We have arrested a militant identified as Sandeep Kumar Sharma belonging to Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar. He was part of the militant group that ambushed the Station House Officer, Achabal and five policemen in Anantnag district in June."

SHO Feroze Dar and five policemen were killed by the LeT on June 17 in Achabal area, and their bodies disfigured.

Sharma was arrested along with another militant from the house where LeT commander Bashir Lashkari, who was behind the attack on the policemen, was killed by the security forces during a gunfight on July 1.

The Valley police chief said Sharma was an active terrorist of the LeT who had graduated from ATM thefts and bank robberies to murder and other heinous terrorist activities.

"He was first used for ATM thefts and bank robberies where they would share the booty with him. Later he became a full-fledged terrorist. He was involved in the killing of SHO Achabal and five other policemen last month.

"Sharma was apprehended by us from the house where Bashir Lashkari had taken shelter. We have eliminated his associates and busted this LeT module.

"His interrogation has given us some vital leads which will be used in our future anti-militancy strategy," he said.

Another militant believed to be local was also produced by police before the media on Monday.

Interestingly, Sharma is not the first non-Muslim to have joined the ranks of jihadi groups in J&K.

More than 20 non-Muslim militants were active in the Chenab Valley region and Rajouri district during the last 10 years, having joined the LeT, Hizbul Mujahideen and some other groups. However, most of whom were killed in operations by the security forces.