Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 12: As National Investigating Agency (NIA) Director General Sharad Kumar today joined interrogation of Pakistani militant Mohammad Naved Yaqub, who was captured alive at Narsu, Samroli in Udhampur district on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, police arrested two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit, who were carrying out recee at Chowgan Ground in Kishtwar, the venue of August 15 celebrations, one of them wearing burqa.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the NIA chief reached here this morning and was closeted with NIA Chief Investigating Officer Atul Goel for an hour during which the latter gave detailed briefing to Kumar on investigations carried out so far and arrests made during interrogation of Naved, whose 14 days remand was taken by the NIA yesterday after formal takeover of the terror case from police.
Kumar was understood to have issued detailed instructions to the NIA team on how to proceed ahead in the investigations to make it strong and fit case for seeking death sentence for Naved like Ajmal Kasab, whose case was also investigated by the NIA.
The NIA chief also interrogated the Pakistani militant for about half an hour to extract some clues. The NIA was going for scientific investigation of the case to establish the facts during judicial determination.
In the afternoon, Kumar proceeded to Udhampur and visited Sher-i-Kashmir Police Academy (SKPA), where he met senior officials of police and civil administration including the Forensic experts. He also visited the BSF camp and examined the bus that had been targeted in the attack on August 5 in which Naved was captured while his Pakistani associate Momen was killed. Two BSF jawans were martyred in attack and 13 others injured.
Later, the NIA chief visited Military Hospital and inquired condition of the injured.
Sharad Kumar was likely to visit Narsu near Samroli on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, the site of August 5 encounter between BSF and Pakistani militants, tomorrow morning before returning to New Delhi.
In a reply to reporters’ question, Kumar said he had come to “ascertain the facts and review the case personally”.
He parried a query on whether Naved would be flown to Delhi for further interrogation.
Sources in the agency, which had sought Naved’s custody for deepening its probe, had yesterday said he could be sent to Delhi for further questioning.
The anti-terror agency chief also held a meeting with NIA officers to review the case and also discussed the detention of several people in Kashmir valley in connection with the matter.
NIA and Jammu and Kashmir Police have been questioning nearly 11 people detained after Naved was caught by some villagers whom he had taken hostage.
“It’s a very important case for us and the entire probe is being done in a scientific manner,” Kumar had said.
Yesterday, a special court in Jammu handed over Naved’s custody to the Central agency for 14 days.
Meanwhile, Kishtwar police today achieved major success when it captured two LeT militants from Chowgan Ground, one of them in burqa clad condition, when they were conducting recee of the ground to carry out terror attack during Independence Day celebrations on August 15.
“Both of them were brothers,” SSP Kishtwar Yougal Manhas told the Excelsior.
DIG Doda-Ramban range Nissar Ahmad was camping at Kishtwar following reports about movement of two militants in Keshwan area of Kishtwar district. However, despite searches conducted by police and para-military forces, the militants remained untraced.
Today, a Kishtwar police team nabbed both the militants, one of whom was clad in ladies suit and wearing burqa to hide his identity, and whisked them away for interrogation. They have been identified as Jamaal Din and Abdul Karim sons of Khair Din, residents of Keshwan in Kishtwar district.
Jamaal Din was active militant of the LeT and was involved in the killing of ASI Qasim Din’s mother at his residence at Keshwan in 2010. Qasim was Incharge of SOG post at Keshwan and was instrumental in the killing of militants. Jamaal had been arrested in the case and was presently on bail.
Both arrested youths were real brothers of slain Lashkar commander Habib Gujjar alias Salman, who was gunned down by security forces and police in 2011.
Sources said though no recoveries have been made from the possession of Jamaal Din and his brother, there were reports that Jamaal was in possession of weaponry and was planning to carry out terror attack at Chowgan Ground at Keshwan in Kishtwar on the occasion of Independence Day. It may be mentioned here that Independence Day Parade is held at Chowgan Ground of Kishtwar.
Police said that a major catastrophe has been averted with the arrest of the two brothers.
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