Baramulla: In less than 48 hours after a grenade attack on a wine shop in Baramulla, that left one dead and three injured, police cracked the case, arresting four militants and an over ground worker (OGW).
In a hurriedly convened presser, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Rayees Mohammad Bhat told the media that the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist module had not only attacked the wine shop but was wanted in many other attacks in the area.
Police recovered five pistols, 23 grenades, an explosive packet, seven magazines, and 205 rounds of ammunition from the possession of the arrested and confiscated a motorcycle used in the Thursday evening attack.
The arrested terrorists have been identified as Shahid Showkat Bala, son of Showkat Ahmad Bala, resident of Banglowbagh; Safeer Ahmad Mir, son of Ghulam Nabi Mir, resident of Mir Sahib Old Town; Mohammad Maroof Soleh alias Adil, son of Nazir Ahmad Soleh, resident of Kanlibagh; and Faisal Shaban Gojri, son of Mohammad Shaban Gojri, resident of Chesti Colony, Baramulla, and terrorist associate has been identified as Hatif Ahmad Sofi, son of Bilal Ahmad Sofi, resident of Arampora, Baramulla.”
Bhat said the module that is a part of the Falcon Squad of Lashkar, was involved in grenade-throwing in the town and firing attacks over a period of a few months.
On Thursday, militants had hurled a grenade inside the newly established wine shop at Dewanbagh area in high security zone, injuring four employees among whom Ranjit Singh of Rajouri later died.
Bhat said technical and human intelligence helped unravel the case. He said various pieces of evidence at the scene of the crime were assessed and analysed and some critical leads came to the fore including the grenade lever.
CCTV footage from cameras in the neighbourhood was also obtained that helped reconstruct the sequence of events before and after the incident, he said. On the basis of human and technical intelligence, a few suspects were picked up and questioned. “During sustained interrogation, a major breakthrough was achieved by arresting four terrorists and 1 terrorist associate of the Falcon Squad module of LeT (TRF),” Bhat said.
The SSP further said that disclosures made by these men led the police to raid various locations and multiple recoveries were made including one Bajaj Pulsar motorbike bearing registration no. JK05F 4822, used in the commission of the act.
He said the consignment of weapons and explosives was received by the men a few days before they carried out the attack on the wine shop.
The group had earlier carried out grenade and firing attacks in and around Baramulla, said Bhat.
“They were tasked to carry out some big attacks in Baramulla and we got them before they could do that,” he added.
