Pulwama, November 11
A partial bandh was observed in Pulwama against the grenade explosion that killed five persons and injured 26 at Tahab village yesterday.
The security forces, meanwhile, are interrogating Ghulam Nabi Mir (22), a hardcore overground worker of the Hizbul Mujahideen, reportedly responsible for the explosion and nabbed by villagers soon after the incident.
Earlier, the residents had refused to hand him over to the police. He told mediapersons at the 55 Rashtriya Rifles camp here this afternoon that he was given Rs 1,000 by militants about a week ago to throw the grenade.
Brig G.S. Katoch, Commander of 70 Brigade, said Ghulam Mir had been spotted by the people and was overpowered after the explosion. During questioning, he had revealed that the militants planned to kill Abdul Rashid Dawoodi, a religious preacher from south Kashmir who was for peace. The plan was made by the self-styled battalion commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen, Raees Ahmad Dar, and militant Abdul Rashid Ganai.
Ghulam Mir was given the hand grenade in Choudhary Bagh on Thursday, a day before the attack, and he reached Tahab in a Tata Sumo on Friday. He hurled the grenade towards Dawoodi but "did not know the extent of possible damage due to the explosion in such a manner," Brig Katoch said.
