Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Mar 19: Two Pakistan based top commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) masterminded the attack on Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) last week killing 5 CRPF men injuring 10 others – 4 civilians and 6 CRPF personnel while four persons were arrested for facilitating the attack, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kashmir range, A G Mir said here today.
Mir told a news conference in Srinagar this afternoon that the probe into the March 13 attack on CRPF has been completed and the case stands solved. “We have completed the investigations into the attack and cracked the case. It was the best possible investigation done in minimum possible time,” Mir added.
The IGP said that investigations into the attack have found no link with the revenge attacks threatened by the Pakistan based militant commanders against the execution of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
The Police officer said: “Investigations have revealed that the attack was carried out by two Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) cadres identified as Saif, a resident of Dera Ghazi Khan (Pakistan), and Haider, resident of Multan (Pakistan), at the behest of their commander Ahmad Bhai and logistics chief Anas Bilal who are based across the Line of Control (LoC).”
Mir said that the duo were facilitated, controlled and handled by a Pakistani commander Muhammad Zubair alias Talha Zaraar, resident of Multan and local co-commander Bashir Ahmad Mir alias Haroon resident of Uri in Baramulla district of North Kashmir. “During investigations, both Bashir Ahmad Mir and Muhammad Zubair were arrested by of the police,” he added.
The IGP said Muhammad Zubair had come to the Valley in the first week of January while the other two militants, Saif and Haider, had entered the Valley from across the LoC in the middle of February this year.
The Police officer said the arrested militants revealed that the CRPF personnel in close proximity with youngsters playing cricket were purposefully chosen as a target since that would enable them to inflict maximum damages and cause civilian casualties.
Mir said: “As revealed by the arrested militants, the CRPF personnel in close proximity to youngsters playing cricket were purposefully chosen as a target since that would allow them to inflict maximum damages and had the potential to lead to civilian causalities as well.”
The IGP said that during preliminary questioning of Basheer it was revealed that, since the strike call had been announced by the separatists, he was sure to find CRPF personnel deployed on the highway and usual presence of unarmed CRPF personnel deployed as standby component for law and order during strike days in the sports ground of Police Public School Bemina, had attracted his attention many a times in the past as well.
Mir said that Basheer was a militant and was arrested in 1992. “He was later released after few years. He was again arrested in 2002 on charges on militancy and released in 2008”, he added.
Mir said that another person identified Pradeep Singh, a contractual sanitary inspector with the State Government, has also been arrested for providing logistic support to the militants.
The Police officer said that a released militant Mukhtar Ahmad Shah was also arrested for providing logistic support to the militants who carried out the attack.
The IGP said while two AK-47 rifles with five magazines, two pistols, one under-barrel grenade launcher (UBGL) and four rifle grenades, one grenade, one Sim Card, transparent poly-pack containing “Made in Pakistan” medicines and ointment and two small bags were recovered from the dead militants.
The Police officer said that during investigation, arms and ammunition in huge quantity have been recovered upon disclosures made by the arrested militants. “These include two AK 47’s (with eight Magazines), 240 AK Rounds, one UBGL, 40 Rifle Grenades, 40 Hand Grenades, two Pouches, two Anti Tank Mines, 12 RC’s, one Map, two light bags, three GPS devices, two Compasses, two wireless sets, two time Bombs (Charge, Timer and Detonators), Pencil Cell Batteries and a transparent poly – pack containing ” Made in Pakistan” medicines and ointment”, he added.
The IGP said that investigation of the case has been entrusted to a Special Investigation Team.
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