Nearly two months after the twin blasts that triggered panic in the bordering Rajouri district, the Jammu and Kashmir Police claimed to have cracked the case with the arrest of two close aides of Lashkar-e-Toiba, and the manhunt is launched to apprehend the commander in the Rajouri area, officials informed on Tuesday.
Additional Director General of Police Jammu Zone Mukesh Singh on Tuesday said that Kotranka town was rocked by twin blasts on March 26 and another on April 19 in which total 2 people were injured and one blast took place in Shahpur, Budhal on April 24 in which two more persons were injured.
He said that cases were registered and an investigation started, said the ADGP added that working on leads, joint teams of Police and the Army conducted multiple raids and search operation at various locations in Larkoti, Targain, Jaglanoo and Draaj areas of District Rajouri and apprehended two suspects.
The arrested persons identified as Mohd Shabir of Draaj, Budhal and Mohd Sadiq of Draaj, Budhal were involved in these incidents.
During the investigation, he said that one Talib Shah of Draaj, Budhal emerged as the mastermind of the blasts and headed the group.
He collected three consignments of arms, ammunition, and explosives from Lamberi-Kalakote area in the months of January, March and April.
“These individuals, working on the directions of their Pak-based handlers received weapons, ammunition, explosives and later used these IED’s to trigger blasts,” said the ADGP.
He said that two accused have been arrested and the third accused Talib Shah is absconding, who is also the commander of LeT in general area Rajouri.
“He is the mastermind of all terrorist activities in the Pirpanjal area and has also motivated many youths for carrying out terror activities in Rajouri,” he said adding that Shabir and Sadiq were also motivated by Talib to conduct terror activities.
Talib has remained instrumental in almost all terror incidents in Peerpanjal districts in the last 2/3 years. It has also come to the fore that this group was also sheltering a few Kashmir-based active terrorists of LeT outfit in general area Kandi-Budhal and were making efforts to revive militancy in Pir Panjal Districts.
“This is a big achievement for J&K Police, SFs as the blasts had triggered panic in the area and these accused were also planning more such incidents to target SFs. The arrest of two associates of Talib is a big blow to the terror outfit LeT,” he added.
During preliminary questioning, the arrested accused disclosed that they had hidden some explosive materials at Jungle in the Draaj area.
“During searches of the area conducted by Police and Army, five IEDs, five Remote control, 19 Power sources (cell), one Cover/wrap, one cloth piece, and 10 fuses were recovered from the area.
Jammu Police, however, have also announced a reward for the person sharing the information about Talib Shah.
UNI
