Srinagar, Nov 2: Claiming to have cracked the case pertaining to the attack on BJP leader in Ganderbal on October 6 that left a policeman dead, a senior police officer on Monday said four persons, including three private security guards, have been arrested in central Kashmir.
He said the investigation has now been shifted to south from where the directions are being issued to militants to target politicians and civilians.
“With these arrests, police foiled attack on four more BJP leaders in Ganderbal,” he said.
Talking to reporters at Ganderbal, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Khalil Poswal said on October 6 militants attacked a BJP leader Ghulam Qadir. However, Qadir survived the attack but his police guard Altaf Ahmad was killed after he shot dead one of the militant. He during the inspection of scene of crime body of the militant was recovered and it was found that another militant had managed to escape from the spot in an injured condition.
Poswal said after the attack on BJP leader the police registered a case under section 302 IPC, 13, 16, 18 UA (P) A and 7/27 IA Act was registered at police station Ganderbal and investigation set into motion.
He said a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted and Deputy Superintendent of Police(Dy SP) Headquarter and Dy SP Ganderbal started the investigation. During the investigation some incriminating documents and mobile phone were recovered from the slain militant who was identified as Shabir Ahmad Shah, a resident of Tral in south Kashmir district of Pulwama.
He said mobile phone details were properly investigation and it was found suspicious applications were used which are not normally used in routine.
On the basis of these applications, police detain a hospital security guard Qiesar Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Serch Ganderbal. During the questioning, Sheikh revealed that he was an active member of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) and was involved in the attack. The SSP said accordingly, he was arrested and on his disclosure one pistol, a magazine with 3 rounds of ammunition and some Pakistan flags were recovered.
He said later on his further questioning Sheikh disclosed the names of two more associates Hilal Ahmad Mir, a resident of Kangan, who was working as ATM guard at S K Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and Asif Ahmad Mir, resident of Serch also a private security guard at SMHS hospital.
“Both the accused were arrested and one Chinese pistol, two detonators and other arms and ammunition and other incriminating material were recovered on their disclosure,” he said.
He said the arrested persons were working for HM and they were given the job to identify BJP leaders to kill them.
The SSP said they have identified five BJP leaders. “One was attacked,” Mr Poswal said, adding four BJP leaders have been informed to remain alert and take extra precautions. However, he refused to identify these BJP leaders for security reasons.
He said as per arrested persons and other phone details, they were getting instructions from militants in south Kashmir who were getting directions from Pakistan.
The SSP said they were told by Pakistan to identify the BJP leader who could be attacked. In fact, after the Ganderbal attack on BJP leader the arrested security guards were directed to delete all data in their mobile phones.
He said all the four were presented in the court and further investigation was going on and more arrests are expected soon.
