Srinagar, Dec 17: Jammu and Kashmir’s Director General of Police (DGP) RR Swain Sunday said that police have busted the terrorist module tasked to kill off-duty policemen in Srinagar. He said three terrorists have been arrested who were involved in the attack on a police constable at Bemina, Srinagar on December 9.
Addressing a press conference at Police Control Room (PCR) here, DGP Swain, as per KNO, said that after through investigations and water-tight evidences, police found that three persons identified as Imtiyaz Ahmed Khanday, son of Taria Ahmed Khanday, Hamdaniya Coloney Sect A, Bemina, Mehnan Khan son of Mehraj Din Khan of Khawajapora, Rainawari, and Danish Ahmed Mala Sector A, Hamdaniya Colony, Bemina.
In this connection FIR number 112/23 under section 7/27 307, IPC 16, 18 and 38 ULAP has been registered in police station Bemina.
The DGP said that the trio were working at the behest of Pakistan-based handler Hamza-Burhan, who originally hails from Pulwama. “Of the three terrorists, Danish Malla was the mastermind, who hatched a conspiracy to attack police constable Muhammad Hafiz Chak, who was on way to his home after performing his duty on December 9. Six bullets were fired at him, two pierced through and one hit his spine that was removed by the doctors. The injured constable is stable,” he said. Imtiyaz Ahmed Khanday had fired at the constable Hafiz at Hamdaniya Colony, Bemina.
He said that during the course of interrogation, the weapon of offence—Canik TP09, Turkey made Pistol, one magazine , and one round 9 mm was recovered from Imtiyaz Ahmed Khanday.
From Mehnan Khan, the DGP said that a second CanikTP09 Turkey made pistol, one magazine and seven rounds were recovered. “From Danish Mall, 57 9mm rounds and two magazines were recovered,” he said, adding that the arrested terrorists were affiliated with Lashkar-e-Toiba/TRF.
The J&K police chief said that during the course of investigations, it came to fore that the arrested trio had prepared a long list of policemen to be targeted. “There were others on the list as well but the majority of targets were policemen,” he said.
Asked whether it was for the first time that Turkey-made pistols were recovered, the DGP said that in the past such small-arms were recovered as well.
“Such weapons are being dropped from drones and pushed into J&K through other means as well,” he said. “Such weapons being light in weight are easy to carry.”
To a query whether there was any connection of the module with the killing of police inspector Masroor Ahmed Wani who was attached while playing cricket at Eidgah, Srinagar on October 29, the DGP said the case is being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). He hailed police for professionally investigating the Bemina Cop attack case and nailing the accused.
