SRINAGAR: In a significant breakthrough, the Police claimed on Friday to have arrested five militants from Jaish-i-Muhammad who were allegedly involved in the killing of labourer Deepak Kumar from Udhampur. The incident occurred 18 days ago at Janglat Mandi near Anantnag’s Amusement Park in south Kashmir.
During a press conference, DIG south Kashmir, Rayees Mohammad Bhat (IPS), stated that on the evening of May 29 at 21:14 hours, unknown gunmen riding a scooty approached the amusement park near GMC Anantnag. Using illegally acquired firearms and ammunition, they shot at Deepak Kumar, also known as Deepu, from Thial-Panchayat Deot Bilaspur Udhampur, causing him serious injuries. Deepu was rushed to GMC Anantnag Hospital by the amusement park workers, but the doctors pronounced him dead on arrival. After the incident, the attackers fled from the scene.
Based on this information, the police filed a case (FIR NO 171/2023) under Section 7/27 I.A Act, 302 IPC 16,18,20,39 ULAP Act, and initiated an investigation.
Consequently, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on May 30 to conduct the investigation. They collected all available technical, human, and scientific evidence to apprehend the accused individuals.
In the meantime, two individuals from Deva Colony went missing—Sehran Bashir Nadaf from Shirpora Deva Colony and Ubaid Nazir Laigroo from Shirpora New Colony. The investigation team also took into account the disappearance of these two individuals from Deva Colony, which is located in close proximity to the incident site. The technical and human data was analyzed, leading to the reconstruction of the sequence of events.
“On June 6, 2023, at approximately 22:30 hours, the police apprehended two suspect individuals during a checkpoint at Semthan-Tulkhan Crossing. Their statements provided a significant breakthrough in the case, leading to the identification of the accused persons involved in the crime,” stated the DIG as per GNS correspondent. The suspects’ statements, along with scientific and technical data analysis, resulted in the recovery of the firearms, ammunition, and the scooty (JK03M-0442) used in the crime.
“The incriminating materials were recovered and seized in the presence of the Executive Magistrate, and the two main accused persons associated with JeM/KFF outfit, who were involved in the commission of the crime, were arrested.”
Further investigation of the case revealed the identities of additional accused persons who had provided logistical support and were part of a criminal conspiracy with the co-accused, he added. As a result, three more individuals were arrested.
“It is worth mentioning that the accused individuals were in contact with a JeM/KFF handler named Khalid Kamran, and the incident was carried out on his orders.”
With the arrests and the recovered items, the Police solved the murder case and also thwarted major attacks that these accused individuals had been tasked with carrying out by their handler across the border. Further investigations are ongoing, and more revelations are expected, stated the DIG.
The arrested individuals were identified by the DIG as Sehran Bashir Nadaf, Ubaid Nazir Laigroo, Umer Amin Thoker from Waghama, Huzaif Shabir Bhat from Wachi Shopian, and Nasir Farooq Shah from Wanteng Mohalla Bijbehara.
He also claimed the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, one magazine with 40 rounds, two pistols, two magazines, seven rounds, seven empty cartridges, three hand grenades, seven mobile phones, and the scooty. (GNS)