Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 27: Police today cracked a weapon snatching and a cop killing case that took place in Soura area of Srinagar in February this year from Hurriyat Conference leader’s house by arresting four accused.
A police spokesperson said on February 25 this year, a militant attack was carried out on the guard post-deployed at the residence of Hurriyat (M) leader Fazal Haq Qureshi.
He said in the attack one policeman constable Farooq Ahmad was killed and his service rifle was snatched. “Consequently FIR No: 26/2018 under Sections 302, 392 RPC, 7/27Arms Act, Section 13, 18 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 was registered in Police Station Soura and investigation was initiated,” the police spokesperson said.
He said the evidence collected during initial investigation revealed the role of local slain militant Isa Fazli, resident of Shadab Colony, 90 Feet Road, Soura.
During the course of the investigation, he said, on the basis of evidence and clinching leads, police has tracked all the other four co-conspirators and their associates and apprehended them.
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“At the conclusion of the investigation, after following the due procedure of law they will be brought before the court of law for facing trial,” he said.
“Further, as the investigation progressed, the role of other militants including Syed Owais Shafi of Kokernag, Tawseef Ahmad and their associates Umar Noor Bhat of New Colony, Chattabal, Waseem Ahmad Sofi of Bagh-e-Nand Singh, Chattabal, Ubaid Zoji of Naribal Soura and Adil Majid Bhat in the entire conspiracy and its execution was unraveled,” he claimed.
The investigation also revealed, he said, that on the evening of 24.2.2018, a conspiracy was hatched in the house of Adil Majid Bhat at Bagh-e-Nand Singh Chattabal wherein the above-mentioned militants and their associates had intricately conspired to attack the guard post-deployed at the residence of Hurriyat leader Fazal Haq Qureshi and snatch the weapon.
“Investigation revealed that Adil Majid, Waseem Ahmad and Umar Noor Bhat carried out reconnaissance of the residence of Fazal Haq Qureshi on 25.2.2018 at Soura so that attack can be carried out in the evening in pursuance of the conspiracy,” he said.
Police further claimed that as conspired, Umar Noor Bhat carried the militants Isa Fazli, Syed Owais and Tawseef Ahmad in a car whereas Waseem Ahmad Sofi moved on his motorbike ahead of the car acting as a pilot to check the presence of any security forces between Chattabal and Soura so as to alert the group beforehand.
“He remained in constant communication with Isa Fazli. Another conspirator and associate Ubaid Zoji also waited near the residence of Fazal Haq Qureshi on a motorbike separately. After dropping the militant near the target house, Umar Noor Bhat waited near Awantabhawan Soura. Then Isa Fazli, Syed Owais and Tawseef Ahmad carried out the attack as conspired on the guard of Fazal Haq Qureshi and snatched the service rifle of police constable Farooq Ahmad. After carrying out the attack they fled away with Ubaid Zoji and Waseem Ahmad on motorbikes and were further transported out by Umar Noor Bhat in his car,” police said.
It is pertinent to mention here that militants Isa Fazli, Syed Owais and Tawseef Ahmad were later killed in an encounter at Hakoora, Badasgam in district Anantnag, he added.
A bank guard and a civilian were injured when gunmen tried to force their entry inside a bank branch in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district today.
Gunmen barged into Mohamadpora branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank with an intention to loot the cash. However, the bank guard opened fire to prevent the bank loot attempt.
The gunmen opened fire in retaliation, resulting in injuries to two persons, including the bank guard.
Both the injured were shifted to district hospital Kulgam for treatment. “The civilian Mohammad Ashraf had sustained a bullet injury in his hand. He was discharged after treatment. The bank guard has sustained a bullet injury in his leg,” Police said.
A police official said that some unidentified persons snatched a 12 bore rifle from a bank guard posted at J&K Bank’s main branch in Shopian today afternoon.
Soon after the incident, the area was cordoned off by the forces to nab the assailants, he said.
“People in Mohanpora area of district Kulgam today foiled looting of a bank by militants in the area”, a police spokesman in a statement issued here said.
“In the afternoon, militants barged inside a branch of J&K Bank at Mohanpora in district Kulgam with the intention to loot the bank. However, people resisted the attempt of the terrorists and forced them to flee from the spot. Infuriated by this, militants fired resulting in injuries to two civilians and a bank guard,” the spokesman said, adding that no cash was looted from the bank. “One civilian sustained the injury on his arm while the other got injured in his leg”.
And police today arrested a person who escaped two days ago in Shopian district of South Kashmir.
Suhail Ahmad Wani, brother of slain Hizb militant Nasir Wani of Heff village, was arrested by police from Shopian today. Suhail had escaped police custody on July 25, 10-days after he was arrested in connection with the killing of the civilian Tariq Ahmad Mohand along with two other persons.
The body of Tariq Ahmad Mohand was recovered in Arwani on July 9 with torture marks all over his body. Police later registered a case FIR no. 36 /2018 Under Sections 302, 364 and 7/25 in police station Zainapora and arrested the trio.
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