Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 4: In a significant development, police today arrested its `encounter specialist’ Sub Inspector and his Head Constable body-guard this morning after five Hizbul Mujahideen militants, who were recently arrested in connection with a grenade attack on Thathri police station, disclosed that SI Shiv Kumar alias Sonu and his body-guard were mastermind of the attack.
A highly decorated police officer with various medals including President’s Police Medal for Gallantry, Director General of Police Medal for Meritorious and Distinguished Services and Army medals for killing nearly 68 militants in Doda-Kishtwar districts, Sonu along with his body-guard and Head Constable Mohammad Ayub were instrumental in reviving militancy in Doda district, which had been declared free of militancy along with five other districts of Jammu region.
Confirming the arrests of Sonu and Ayub, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Rajesh Kumar, told the Excelsior here that during the interrogation of five militants arrested by Doda police on May 22 in connection with investigations on grenade attack on Thathri police station on April 28, the names of two police officials figured.
“The matter was investigated and both of them were arrested today in FIR No. 33/2013 registered at Thathri police station under various provisions of anti-militancy laws,” Mr Kumar said.
To a question as to whether the Sub Inspector, who was instrumental in various successful operations against the militants, has “double crossed”, the Jammu Police chief said: “all these issues now formed part of investigations as both the officials have been formally arrested”.
On whether they could be involved in more militancy related cases, he said, so far their involvement has surfaced in Thathri grenade attack. However, the involvement of two police officials would be probed in other militancy related cases too, he added.
Police sources said no recoveries were made from the possession of Sonu and Ayub at the time of their arrests but added that grenade thrown on Thathri police station on April 28 morning and arms and ammunition recovered from five arrested militants on May 23 had been supplied to them by the two police officials with a view to revive militancy in Doda district.
Doda along with Reasi, Jammu, Samba and Kathua districts had been declared free of militancy in Jammu region.
DIG Doda-Ramban range Ashkoor Wani said Sonu and his body-guard Mohammad Ayub were mastermind of Thathri police station grenade attack. One of the five arrested militants Altaf Hussain, 19, son of Nazir Ahmed, a resident of village Joura in Gandoh had thrown the grenade at the police station.
To a question on sources of weapons and explosives given by Sonu and Ayub to five militants, Mr Wani said police was on the job to ascertain the sources but preliminary investigations indicated that the two cops might have withheld them during recoveries made from the militants as Sonu was part of counter-insurgency grid.
He added that the militants had thrown the grenade at Thathri police station with a view to cause killings of security personnel and revive militancy in the district.
To a question as on attachment of Sonu and Ayub in Kishtwar district though they had originally been posted in Doda district, the DIG said since Doda was free of militancy while few militants were still active in neighbouring Kishtwar district, the duo had been shifted there.
Reliable sources said that Sonu and Ayub had, in fact, roped-in two youths into the militancy during his posting in Kishtwar district while these two then recruited three more. This was the reason that out of five arrested militants, one belonged to Bounjwah, Kishtwar while others hailed from Tanta and Gandoh, bordering Kishtwar district.
Five arrested militants included Abdul Rashid alias Abdullah, 27, son of Mohammad Iqbal Hargah of Tanta, Akhter Hussain, 23 son of Showkat Ali Magray of Tanta, Mohammad Rafi, 29, son of Mohammad Ibrahim of Patnazi, Bounjwah, Altaf Hussain, 19, son of Nazir Ahmad of Joura, Gandoh and Mohammad Yaqoob, 26, son of Fateh Mohammad Gujjar of Bathree, Gandoh.
Reports said the arrest of Sonu sent shock waves not only in the Police Department but the local people as well as he was known a hardcore police officer involved in a series of anti-militancy operations during past one and a half decades, which had brought laurels to him not only from senior police and Army officers but even from former Deputy Prime Minister, Incharge Home Department, L K Advani.
Sources said it was only after cross-examination of all five militants that police called Sonu and Ayub to Doda for questioning and formally arrested them.
Sources said five arrested militants during their questioning had revealed that they had joined the militancy to revive terror in Doda district and indulge in the killing of political leaders and target security forces and police convoys and police stations. They had been provided with some arms, ammunition and explosive material, which was seized at the time of their arrest.
According to some local people of Doda and Kishtwar, they were not satisfied with the police version and wanted an independent inquiry, other than a police agency, to investigate the role of Sonu, who was known as Robinhood and whose name spelt terror for the militants in Doda and Kishtwar districts. He was instrumental in the killing of at least 68 militants and was accredited with elimination of militancy in Doda.
Sonu son of Heem Raj, a resident of Thathri, Bhaderwah was decorated with President Police Medal for Gallantry on August 15, 2011 besides DGP Medal for Distinguished and Meritorious Services and Army’s medal for counter-insurgency operations.
On several occasions, he was injured while fighting with militants. In 2002 during fire fight with militants, he was grievously injured when bullets had punctured his leg in Doda.
In 2005 operation, the militants holed up in cordon had hurled a grenade, whose splinters had hit his eye but he continued to fight and eliminate the militants.
Sonu had initially worked with a Village Defence Committee (VDC). After his VDC killed militants, he was recruited as a Special Police Officer (SPO). He got out of turn promotions for killings of the militants and rose to the rank of Sub Inspector.
The arrested SI and his body-guard have been booked under Sections 307 RPC, Explosives Substances Act and 120-B RPC etc.
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