PDP MLA’s driver in the net for ‘attack on yatris’
Investigators have detained a policeman assigned to ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator Aijaz Ahmad Mir as part of their “investigation into a militancy-related case”.
While many media agencies reported that the special investigation team (SIT) set up to probe the recent attack on Amarnath pilgrims had arrested Touseef Ahmad on Saturday morning, Shopian superintendent of police Ambarkar Shriram Dinkar clarified that he was only summoned for questioning. He didn’t confirm if the interrogation was part of the ongoing probe into the terror attack.
“It is related to a militancy case,” said another top official. “But nothing is confirmed. We can’t say anything till the investigation reaches a certain stage. It would be unfair to label him as an accused yet.”
Touseef, a Chokura Pulwama resident attached to the Jammu and Kashmir police’s security wing, has been Mir’s driver for over a year now.
“He is a very shy person. I have never seen him indulging in any untoward activity,” the legislator told HT.
Mir represents Wachi area in South Kashmir’s Shopian, which is one of the hotbeds of militancy. At least 25 known militants hail from the area.
A source said two other people have also been arrested in connection with the case. While nothing conclusive has emerged about Touseef until now, this is not the first instance of a security personnel’s name cropping up in a militancy-related case.
On May 22, constable Syed Naveed Mushtaq disappeared with four police rifles from central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Even as the authorities ordered a departmental probe into the incident, the Hizbul Mujahideen declared that Mushtaq has joined their ranks.
Similarly, an Army jawan – identified as Pulwama resident Zahoor Ahmad – went missing with his AK-47 service rifle and three magazines of ammunition from a camp in Baramulla district on Thursday.
The SIT formed by the police to investigate the attack on Amarnath pilgrims, which resulted in seven casualties, is headed by deputy inspector general (south Kashmir) SP Pani. It has reportedly launched a massive hut to hunt down Lashkar-eTaiba commander Abu Ismail, who is believed to have masterminded the attack.
Three militants have been killed in an encounter raging on in the forests of Tral in south Kashmir between trapped militants and forces, a senior police officer told HT.
The militants are believed to be Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and according to the police, were planning a major attack on army and police. The encounter started on Saturday morning in Satoora forest area of Tral, around 40km from Srinagar and the home town of Hizbul Mujahedeen militant Burhan Wani killed in July last year in an gun-battle.
Speaking to HT in the day, inspector general of police, Kashmir Range, Muneer Khan, had said, “Since the last two-three days, we had information that this group of militants were planning an attack on army and police. Pursuing them, we finally established contact today morning. The encounter is on.”
Speaking to the media during the day, director general of state police, SP Vaid, had said that as the gun-fight was on some militants had entered a cave.
The recovery of the bodies and weapons are awaited. There is nothing official on the identity of the slain militants yet.