M A I N   N E W S

Pak national, 5 others arrested
Srinagar car blast case

SRINAGAR, Aug 23 (PTI) — In a major breakthrough, the police has arrested six militants, including a Pak national and a member of the Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT), in connection with the August 10 car bomb explosion in Srinagar that left 15 persons dead, including a photo journalist, a top police official said today.

The blast was triggered by the LeT on directions from across the border to “indulge in something spectacular” ahead of Independence Day, Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, A.K. Bhan told PTI here.

Those arrested were a Pakistani national Iqbal Khan, alias Manzoor, Mir Hussain Cheechee, Shafat Reshi, Haji Ali Mohammad, his son and Abdul Hameed Bhat, alias Hamid Cheni, he said.

Efforts were on to nab Abu Hurera, the mastermind behind the blast, he said.

The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen had claimed that its activists were behind the car bomb explosion outside Kothibagh police station. Besides the Hizbul, the LeT had also claimed the responsibility but withdrew its claim reportedly on directions from its Pakistani mentors, Mr Bhan said.

The arrests were made from Hyderpora and its adjoining localities, he said adding the arrested were under sustained interrogation.

The IG said a joint team of the Special Operations Group of the Jammu and Kashmir police, Srinagar unit, and the local police under the supervision of Mr K. Rajendra, DIG, Srinagar Range worked round-the-clock to solve the mystery behind the blast.

The blast was caused just after mid-day by a remote control device from bund side and the black explosive material was planted in a 5-kg LPG gas cylinder which was further placed in a package in the Ambassador car.

He said the car was brought to the spot by Iqbal alias ‘Abu Hurera’, a foreign mercenary, along with Mir Hussain Cheechee, alias Shabir, alias Kaloo Khan, and a woman accomplice around noon and parked adjacent to the State Bank of India lane.

Soon after, Iqbal Khan hurled a plastic grenade towards the lane. The team, which ignited the explosive by a remote control using a wireless set, consisted of Shafat Reshi Alias Zubair of Tengpora-Nesbal and Abu Hurera.

The IG said they triggered the remote control only after ensuring that a large number of policemen and mediapersons were close to the car.

Two meetings were held at the residence of Haji Ali Mohammad at Hyderpora on the Srinagar-airport road, he said, adding the IED was fabricated in the same house and fitted in the vehicle.