Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 20: A Pakistani militant who was arrested six years ago and a police man was killed today and five police men including an officer were injured when a blast took place in a vehicle in which he was being carried to Srinagar’s Central Jail from a local court in Sopore.
The Pakistani prisoner Waheed Noor Khan was guarded by a police party from Srinagar Central Jail was presented before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Sopore with regard to two militancy related cases in Sopore area.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, North Kashmir range, Gareeb Dass told Excelsior that when Khan was being carried to Srinagar’s Central jail, he asked the police men to stop the vehicle by displaying a hand grenade.
A police man who had handcuffed Khan with his belt tried to snatch the grenade from him but it exploded leading to on the spot death of Khan and injuries to six others.
Dass said that one live grenade was later recovered from the car by the police that arrived for the rescue. He said that the grenades were handed over to him by somebody in the court.
“We have registered a case and are investigating it. We are trying to ascertain, how did he manage to get the grenades and why didn’t his guards notice it”, the DIG said.
The six cops were admitted to Sub-district hospital Sopore for treatment. They have been identified as Assistant Sub-Inspector Ghulam Ahmed Mir of Amargadh Sopore, Driver Mohammad Amin Dar of Iqbal Nagar Sopore, Constable Tasaduk Ali of Uri, Constable Iftikar Ahmed of Uri, Constable Anwar Ali of Hawal and Constable Abdul Majeed of Beerwah.
Two of the critically injured were shifted to SMHS hospital in Srinagar where Constable Abdul Majeed succumbed to his injuries. His body has been taken to his native village in Beerwah for last rites.
The deceased militant was booked by police for his alleged involvement in cop killings and weapon snatching in 2010 and his involvement in an attack on the residential house of former legislator and National Conference leader Haji Mohammad Ashraf Ganaie in which one security guard was injured.
Khan was associated with Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and was working with Hizbul Mujahideen in Sopore area before his arrest in 2010.
This is second incident of under-trial getting killed while shifting to Jail. On July 17, 2013, Shakeel Ahmed Kasana alias Aka Obaidullah, close aide and body guard of United Jihad Council chief Salahuddin was killed in Batamaloo area of Srinagar city when he was being shifted to Baramulla Sub Jail.
In the meantime, massive operation against the militants responsible for the killing of six people in Sopore area continues.
Security forces have rounded up over 70 people since the launch of operation against the group of militants headed by Qayoom Najjar who police says is behind the killings. However, majority of them were released after questioning and a dozen of them are under police surveillance.
Follow our WhatsApp channel