Ramban blast case cracked, 2 JKGF men held

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, August 6

The police on Saturday arrested two persons accused of carrying out an attack at a police post recently in Ramban district. Ramban SSP Mohita Sharma said, “Two operatives of the J&K Ghaznavi Force (JKGF)—Shah Din Padyar and Mohd Farooq of Gool—have been arrested. More arrests are expected after the identification of the person who had been financing these two persons.”

Bid to revive terror

• Arrested militants are members of J&K Ghaznavi Force that wants to revive terrorism in Jammu.
• A JKGF letter found at the blast site on August 2 was written by Shah Din, one of those arrested.

Talib connection

• During probe, the police found that Talib Hussain gave money to someone in Ramban last year.
• Talib, LeT ultra, was arrested last month. His lead helped the police reach the Ramban blast accused.

On August 2, a blast near the police post in which two police personnel received minor splinter injuries.

“Security forces including, the police, the Army and the CRPF launched a massive joint operation in Ind village and adjoining areas of Gool,” the police said. A handwritten piece of paper was found near the blast site, mentioning about the JKGF role, the SSP said. One of those arrested, Shah Din Padyar, is said to have written that letter.

The investigation revealed that the JKGF earlier used to have presence only in Rajouri and Poonch districts. The Rajouri police informed that Talib Hussain, having links with the LeT outfit, was arrested on July 4. During his sustained questioning, he revealed that he had visited Gool in Ramban last year to give money to someone.

Acting on this lead, a cordon-and-search operation was launched in the Gool market area. After a thorough search and linking of input, one suspect namely Shah Din Padyar was picked up for questioning.

“The suspect was put to sustained questioning during which he confessed his role in the hatching of criminal conspiracy to the effect of reviving the militancy in Ramban area which was to start with the onset of lobbying of an explosive device on the police post in Ind. After further questioning, he disclosed the identity of his accomplice—Mohd Farooq, a resident of Gool,” the police said.

According to the police, the accused had been acting as handlers of the JKGF wherein they were given funds and were in the process of recruiting youths to revive militancy in Ramban.

They confessed that Mohd Farooq received Rs 50,000 from one person whose identity is yet to be ascertained and who had assigned the task of attacking security forces’ establishment to Shah Din and Farooq, the police added.