Arrested PDP leader's driver linked to Hizbul, not Amarnath terror attack

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir police driver Towseef Ahmed detained earlier this week was not involved in the July 10 terror incident in Anantnag district in which eight Amarnath pilgrims were killed and eighteen others wounded.

He was wanted for his alleged role in a murderous assault on a special police officer in June this year. However, he has now been formally arrested along with three others for his role in the incident and for his links with a group of militants belonging to Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, the police said here on Sunday.

“The news circulated by a section of media and also through social media about Towseef’s involvement in the Amarnath terror deaths is not true,” a police spokesman said. 

He made a fervent appeal to media "not to carry speculative and factually incorrect stories".

The police said Ahmed was part of an over-ground workers’ group for the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. It claimed that it has busted two modules of the terror outfit in southern Shopian and north-western Baramulla districts of the Valley.

The members of the twin groups, five of whom have already been arrested, were allegedly providing logistic support to militants and luring young boys of the Valley to the militancy before they could send them to Pakistan for receiving arms training in PoK, the police said.

A statement issued here said that while pursuing a case registered under various provisions of law including Section 307 (attempt to murder) of the Ranbir Panel Code and the Arms Act at a local police station in southern Shopian, the police could lay its hands on four over-ground workers of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen. 

"The case pertained to the June 11 terror attack on a special police officer Khurshid Ahmed at Imam Sahib, Shopian. During the course of investigation four persons were arrested for their involvement in providing logistic support and participation in the furthering the said criminal act," said a statement issued by the police here.

It added that it has also been revealed that the said attack was carried out by one Nazim Nazir Dar at the behest of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen cadres Saddam Padder and Irfan Abdullah Ganie, both residents of Heff village of Shopian.

"In this criminal conspiracy four OGWs (over-ground workers) provided logistic support to the militant group. They are Amir Mohiuddin, also a resident of Heff and working in a bank at Chitragam, Constable-driver Towseef Ahmed of Chakoora, Basharat Yusuf Mir, a resident of Litter, working as private teacher and Iftikar Rather alias Jamshed, a resident of Awneera," the statement said.

It added, "After sustained questioning they were arrested and are being investigated for their roles. Investigation so far has revealed their complicity in entering into criminal conspiracy for carrying future attacks at the behest of this group for targeting some more policemen and civilians".

In another statement, the police said that Baramulla police assisted by security forces has busted a module of the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen which was active in the area and was mainly involved in luring young boys into militancy. 

"This module was being spearheaded by the terror group’s commander Parvez Wani alias Mubashir, a resident of Gagloora, Handwara (Kupwara district)," the statement said. It mentioned the names of other members of the group as Ansar Ullah Tantray, Abdul Rashid Bhat and Mehraj-ud-din Kak.

"The module had plans to send many boys to Pakistan on valid visas to get them trained in terrorist camps of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir (POK)," the statement said.
It also added that one of the accused Abdul Rashid Bhat had visited Pakistan in May this year and "was imparted training for undertaking terrorist activities in Khalid bin Waleed camp of the Hizb located in PoK".

"He had got the visa from Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi on the recommendation of one separatist organization," the statement claimed. 

It further said that arms, ammunition and Rs. one lakh in Indian currency was recovered from the possession of the accused. 

"The module was not only luring young boys to terrorism, but also providing all logistic support to other terrorists of the terror outfit.  Pertinent to mention here that recently Baramulla police saved around 10 boys meant to be inducted in terror ranks from the clutches of terrorists and were handed over to their parents," the statement said. 

A case FIR number 112/2017 under sections of 13 Unlawful Activities Prevention Act has been registered in Police Station Pattan (Baramulla) and investigation has been taken up.