Two detained in Kashmir in connection with Pulwama car bomb plan
A day after security forces averted a 'Pulwama-like' car bomb attack in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, police today picked up two persons in connection with the investigations of the entire plot.
Police sources said that in Shopian district, a team raided the house of active Hizbul Mujahideen militant Hidayatulla Malik's home in Sharatpora and picked up his brother, Sameer Ahmad Malik for questioning. Sources said that Hidayatulla Malik had joined HM last year.
The Santro car was fitted with a fake number plate which in fact is the number of a motorbike belonging to Sahik Kuamr of Kathua.
Police have called Sahil Kumar of Kathua for questioning on whose name the fake number plate of the car is registered with the transport department.
“We have called him (Sahil Kumar) for questioning today morning,” SSP Kathua, Shailendra Mishra told ETV Bharat.
Security forces on Thursday successfully prevented a massive 2019 Pulwama-like car bomb attack plan after they stopped a vehicle carrying over 40 kg of an improvised explosive device (IED).
In February last year, 40 CRPF personnel were killed when a JeM suicide bomber rammed an explosive laden car into one of the buses of a CRPF convoy, consisting of around 2,500 personnel, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The attack froze the relations between India and Pakistan and brought them to the brink of war.
Reports quoting unnamed police officials said that the police had identified that the explosive-lade car belonged to HM militant Hidayatullah Malik. However, police are yet to confirm it officially.
Meanwhile, the NIA is set to take over the probe of the car-bomb plan. “With suspicion of Pakistan based terrorists and the case bearing similarities to that of the suicide attack of Pulwama in 2019, the probe will be handed over to the NIA,” a source in NIA told ETV Bharat.
Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Vijay Kumar told ETV Bharat on Thursday that police had received information that a militant of Jaish-e-Mohammed is going to carry out the attack.
“We suspect that Adil (occupant of the car carrying IED) - a Hizbul Mujahideen militant is also in touch with Jaish-e-Mohammed. He (Adil) intended to target vehicles of security forces. A Pakistani militant Fauji Bhai is also involved in the plot. We are calling expert teams from the outside. We suspect that the vehicle was carrying 40-45 kg of explosives. Jaish-e-Mohammed has the main role in this and Hizbul Mujahideen assisted them," he said.
On being asked if this attack was similar to the February 2019 bombing attack on the CRPF convoy, Kumar said, "Definitely it would have targeted security force police's vehicles only."
