In a major success for the security forces, the Jammu & Kashmir Police on Wednesday arrested the most wanted mastermind of stone pelting in downtown Srinagar, Hayat Dar, from the State Capital. The Intelligence-based operation to nab Dar was carried out following inputs suggesting his renewed role in masterminding stone-pelting post-abrogation of special status to Jammu & Kashmir under Article 370 on August 5.

Dar is alleged to have been instigating the area residents of Anchar Lake and Soura localities in Srinagar for indulging in stone pelting against the security forces as also disturbing the law and order situation.

Dar was in the past booked under the stringent Public Safety Act besides three cases under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Sources said Dar was also in regular touch with the terror operators in Pakistan and is said to have been indulging in rumour mongering to incite people for hitting the security forces and maximise the impact of such illegal acts. Dar was on the radar of the agencies in Jammu & Kashmir as a discernible pattern was noticed in the protests and stone pelting after the annulment of the provisions of Article 370 and other inputs also suggested his role in vitiating the law and order situation.

The agencies are expected to jointly interrogate Dar to unravel the larger nexus behind stone pelting and modus operandi of such activities and the network of operators across the Valley and their patronage from Pakistan besides the funding mechanism. Officials expect the role and the financing patter will also be unraveled during Dar's grilling by the sleuths.

Inputs also indicate a portion of the proceeds from illegal farming of opium in South Kashmir by the cadres of Pakistan-based terror groups in the Valley is used for funding stone pelting across the Valley. Other funding mechanisms include money transfers through hawala operators by the Lashkar-e-Tayyba and Jaish-e-Mohammad.