Entire plot to be investigated ‘, say security officials
Ishtiyaq Ahmed
Srinagar, May 28 (KINS): The National Investigation Agency(NIA) is all set to have yet another huge assignment of probing the recovery of 45 kilograms laden private car detected and destroyed by the police along with other security agencies at Ayegund area of South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar in the presser has said that militants were planning a major strike against security forces by carrying out a massive fidayeen attack. The car, he said, had 45 kilograms of explosives fitted in it which when destroyed, went up to 15 meters up above the ground.
Police sources said that this was similar to what Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit did on February 14 last year that left 40 CRPF men dead. “The explosive material used by the militants in the car destroyed today was same that of what Jaish had used in last year’s fidayeen attack. Militants had used ammonium nitrate, gelatin sticks and huge quantity of RDX last year’s suicide attack at Lethpora, and same material was used in the car that was destroyed today,” they said. The IGP also named similar material used by the militants in the car destroyed.
A top police official confirmed to news agency KINS that today’s case has been handed over to NIA that will investigate the entire plot—”how militants got such a huge explosive material, where the car was prepared, whose car was it actually, how they managed fake number plate that of an two wheeler belonging to a person living in Kathua, how many militants were involved in the act and who supported the militants in preparing the car for the attack” the official said.
“It will be a similar probe to that of last year’s Lethpora attack. NIA nailed almost all militants of Jaish and even OGWs including a woman who had provided logistic support to fidayeen Adil Dar, who blew himself up after ramming the explosive laden car into the CRPF convoy,” the official disclosed, requesting anonymity.
NIA teams will rush to the spot early morning tomorrow, take samples, and also check the vehicle that was damaged by the Bomb Disposal Squad to supplement the probe.
The IGP Kumar in a press conference stated that it was a joint plot by Hizb and Jaish militants and the suicide attacker jumped two Naka’s after security forces fired a few warning shots and later left the explosive laden vehicle at Ayegund, Rajpora and fled from the spot.
However, the development has sent security agencies into a tizzy as questions are being raised what if the militant would have succeeded in his plan and how car was fitted with huge quantity of explosive material despite heavy presence of security forces in South Kashmir.(KINS)