Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Aug 31: Police today arrested all the four Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) involved in a grenade attack on Sarpanch’s house in the Shrakwara area of Kreeri in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district last week.
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Police said that on August 22, a call was received by Police Station Kreeri regarding blast-like sound from village Shrakwara Kreeri.
“Accordingly, party of Police Station Kreeri, SOG Kreeri, 176 Bn CRPF & 52 RR rushed towards the village. During verification, it came to fore that a grenade was lobbed towards the police guard and house of one Sarpanch namely Narinder Kour wife of Daljeet Singh, resident of Shrakwara Kreeri which caused some minor damages to windowpanes and vehicle as the lever of the exploded grenade was found in the kitchen garden,” police said.
It added that accordingly, a case FIR under Sections of Explosive Substances Act and UA (P) Act 1967 was registered in Police Station Kreeri and investigation set into motion.
During the process of the investigation, police said, many suspects were called for questioning and based on technical analysis, CCTV footage and other evidence, “it came to the surface that suspects namely Mohd Saleem Khan son of Ghulam Hassan Khan of the new colony Shrakwara and Sajad Ahmed Mir son of Late Ali Mohd Mir of Mir Mohalla Saloosa were involved in the commission of crime who were later arrested.”
Police said during the interrogation of both the suspects, it came to fore that both the suspects were working as OGWs of the LeT outfit and were working at the behest of one Pakistan based handler of LeT and its offshoot TRF namely Ali Bhai.
“It is pertinent to mention here that both the accused persons are drug addicts and were in contact with LeT militant Hilal Sheikh and Usman (FT) on whose instructions, they obtained grenade from Batamaloo Srinagar,” police said.
As per police, two other associates Bilal Ahmad Sheikh son of Mohd Maqbool Sheikh of Saloosa and Naseer Ahmad Dar son of Ab Majeed Dar of Najibhat assisted the accused persons in the commission of crime who were also arrested.
Police said that two hand grenades and 100 grams of charas like substance have been recovered from the accused persons, while further investigation and links to other cases are under investigation.
In the meantime, two persons were booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for their ‘involvement in Improvised Explosive Device’ (IED) attack on security forces in Anantnag.
A notification issued by the Home Department stated that, the Government has sanctioned UAPA against two residents from Kashmir for their involvement in Pazalpora IED blast on February 16 this year.
Following the attack, a case under FIR No. 27/2021 U/S 307 IPC, 3/5 Explosive Substance Act, 16 ULA (P) Act was registered in Police Station Bijbehara and during investigation offences under section 18, 20, 23, 38, 39 ULA (P) Act was added in the case. The duo has been identified as Rayees Ahmad Bhat resident of Bijbehara and Imran Ahmad Hajam, resident of Anantnag.
“During the course of the investigation, site plan of the place of occurrence and seizure memos were prepared and statements of witnesses acquainted with the facts and circumstances of the case were recorded under the relevant provisions of law”, read the notification.
The notification revealed that, during the investigation, one suspect of Sheetipora Bijbehara was arrested in connection with the case and disclosed that in the month of January, 2021 he obtained 5 Kgs Explosive material and 20 Pistol rounds from a militant from Anantnag who was later on arrested by Anantnag police.
“During the investigation, it was established that the accused was in constant touch with the militants and was working as Over Ground Worker (OGW) for them”, the notification read.
“On the basis of investigation, statement of witnesses recorded and other evidence collected, the investigating Officer has established prima facie involvement of accused persons for the commission of offences punishable under section as shown against each of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967”, it read.
“In the exercise of powers conferred by Subsection 2 of Section 45 ULA (P) Act 1967, the Government hereby accord the sanction for launching prosecution against the accused persons for the commission of offences punishable under sections 18,20,23,38 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in the case FIR No. 27/2021 of Police Station Bijbehara”, the notification read.
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