He was arrested on Thursday in the national capital, Delhi Police said.
Matto0 (32), a resident of Jammu and Kashmir’s Sopore, is an A++ category terrorist of the banned terror organisation Hizbul Mujahideen. He had been evading his arrest for the last 13 years, the police said.
Delhi Police informed further that it seized several arms and ammunition from Mattoo. “One 9 mm Star pistol with six live cartridges, one extra magazine, and a stolen car were recovered from him,” an officer said.
According to the sleuths, the Hizbul terrorist was planning to carry out ‘audacious’ terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir and at another place on the instructions of his Pakistan-based handler.
According to the police, they received information that Mattoo would be coming to Delhi-NCR to collect arms and ammunition.
“On this information, sources keeping tabs on sleeper cells and weapon suppliers were activated. Today, i.e., on January 4, specific source information was received that Javed Ahmed Mattoo, resident of Sopore J-K, a wanted A++ category terrorist of Hizbul Mujahideen, would be coming to Delhi to collect arms and ammunition from his associates at the behest of PAK ISI,” Delhi Police informed through a statement.
“Mattoo’s Pakistan-based handler was about to coordinate the delivery of arms and ammunition,” Delhi Police informed further, adding that Mattoo was planning to carry out some ‘audacious terror strikes’ in the Union Territory at the behest of his handler.
A case under appropriate sections was registered in this regard at the Special Cell police station, the sleuths said, adding that further investigation is underway.
The police added that Mattoo was one of a gang of seven dreaded terrorists of Hizbul Mujahideen operating in North Kashmir, particularly Sopore. After being injured in an exchange of fire with security forces, he went underground and allegedly fled to Nepal on the instructions of Pakistan’s external espionage agency, ISI, even as the Jammu and Kashmir Police were in hot pursuit.
Besides indulging in terror activities, he also managed finances and logistics, including the procurement of weapons from ISI handlers across the border, the police added. Mattoo was involved in the killing of HC Mohd Yousf of CID, Sopore, near Sopore police station in 2010.
He was also involved in an attack on the residence of Sopore SP in 2010. Also, in the same year, Mattoo was involved in the killing of two CRPF personnel in Pattan and the snatching of their service rifles.
Mattoo, along with his associates, was also involved in the killing of one police constable, Mohd Shahfi Lone, in 2011.
“He, along with his other associates, was also involved in an IED blast at Police Station Sopore, in which one SgCt Morifat Hussain of PS Sopore was killed in 2011. He was also involved in the grenade attack on Sopore police station, which involved Ishfaq Kana and Saleem Beig in 2011. In 2012, Mattoo was injured after he, along with other cadres of the outfit, attacked Sopore Police. He came to be associated with a disability after the injury. He was also involved in a grenade-throwing incident at the CRPF station in the SBI Complex of Hathishah. Many civilians were injured in the incident,” the officer added. (ANI)
