Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Aug 30: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the Police-Militant nexus in the Srinagar attacks that took place during past two years may hit a dead end due to interference from higher police officials, highly placed sources said here.
They said that the two IPS officers, Superintendent of Police (SP) South Suliaman Choudery and SDPO Sadder, Imtiaz Parray, of the SIT who are young and upright, want to go into the details of the case but are facing difficulties as the senior officers are reportedly creating hurdles in the smooth conduct of investigations.
The two IPS officers are not happy with the interference of the senior police officers who have reportedly kept police informers behind them to which they have reacted sharply. They have conveyed the senior officers that either they should be trusted or removed from the investigations, sources added.
Sources said that the two officers want that all the investigations should take place under the FIR (No. 140) registered in the Police Station Ram Munshi Bagh Srinagar. Master mind Chiloo and Constable Shigan are arrested under this FIR.
There are 13 separate FIRs in various police stations across the city where these 13 attacks took place including that on the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ali Mohammad Sagar. The police higher ups want the SIT to investigate these FIRs in isolation to the FIR 140 which the SIT considered as master FIR of the entire case.
The investigators have so far found that the mastermind behind all these attacks is former divisional commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Manzoor Ahmad Chiloo, and the two constables including Constable Abdul Rashid Shigan were the co-conspirators.
The investigators have so far zeroed in on 8 men who are involved in these attacks, out of which three are already in police custody. Sources said that out of 5 who have been identified and are still absconding include a policemen and 4 civilians. These five men have been the executors of various attacks but major logistics for these attacks were provided by Chiloo and the two arrested cops, sources said.
Sources said that the weapon for these attacks have not come from Ganderbal only as was claimed at the time of the arrest of Constable Shigan but major part of arms and ammunitions have come from militancy infested Sopore area. The investigators felt Sopore link is vital and needed thorough investigations.
Sources said that the investigators have found large number of missing links in the case and their detailed investigations may lead to working out of various attacks that took place across Kashmir valley during past few years. If the case is properly investigated it may open a can of worms, they added.
The investigators are also looking at the re-instatement of Constable Abdul Rashid Shigan by the then Deputy Inspector General of Armed Police, Zahoor Ahmad Chesti. Shigan was discharged from the duty in 1998 after a pistol was recovered from him during his training at Manigam in Central Kashmir district of Ganderbal.
Shigan was an Over Ground Worker of Harkatul Mujahideen before joining police. Shigan’s appointment was shady and investigators are also raising questions about his appointment in police at first place. They are investigating on both the aspects of his appointment, said sources. The sources said that the questions investigators are asking are: “Has Shigan been planted in police by militants or was he appointed in police to act as a police mole in militant organizations and later switched his sides.”
Shigan was discharged from police department while undergoing training for his involvement in militant activities and detained under Public Safety Act for one year. DIG Zahoor Chesti reinstated Shigan in 2002 on an ambiguous court order when he was not authorized to re-appoint him as the call had to be taken by the then Director General of Police AK Suri. Investigators are trying to find out why the proper procedure was bypassed and feel that DIG Chesti might not have done it on his own.
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