Srinagar: Police on Friday said it cracked the Krishna Dhaba attack in Srinagar within 48 hours and arrested the three militants involved in the attack.
It identified the arrested militants as Suhail Ahamad Mir son of Fateh Mohd Mir resident of Dangerpora Nowgam, Owais Manzoor Sofi son of Manzoor Ahmad Sofi resident of Dangarpora (occupation butcher) and Vilayat Aziz Mir son of Abdul Aziz Mir resident of Hanipora Wampora Pulwama.
On Wednesday evening, militants fired on and injured Akash Mehra, son of Krishna Dhaba owner inside his dhaba at Durga Nag in Dalgate area of Srinagar.
“Immediately after the attack, police with the help of CCTV footage and Technical assistance started working on certain leads and after hectic efforts on technical and human intelligence zeroed on certain clues and tied up with district police Pulwama and district Police Anantnag. On basis of intelligence, many suspected spots were raided by the joint team of police, which led to arrest of Vilayat Aziz Mir R/o Hanipora, Wampora Pulwama,” IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar said.
He said another team of police raided various places in Anantnag and it led to the arrest of Suhail Ahmad Mir and Owais Manzoor Sofi, both residents of Dangerpora.
“During investigation, it was learnt that Vilayat was in contact with one Gazi, an active militant and trained him locally a month before. He performed the recce of Dalgate Durganag area along with other militant associates ten days prior to attack,” the IGP said.
He said the arrest of trio and recovery of weapon of crime (pistol) and grenade along with other incriminating material including bike used by militant within hours of attack is a big success for Jammu and Kashmir police.
The IGP said the trio during interrogation confessed their involvement in the incident.
A case has already been registered in this regard under relevant sections of law and further investigation is on.
“The militant organisation have adopted new strategies by recruiting local youths who are in their teens and allowing them to mix up with the family friends and live normally and training them for a day or so. They are given task by their masters and in case they get caught a public opinion be generated that they were not active militants and joined only on the day of incident,” the IGP said.
