J&K: Two Terror Associates Arrested In Srinagar Grenade Attack

| Updated: 09 March, 2022 2:48 pm IST

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Police has apprehended two terror associates for hurling grenade in a busy market in Amira Kadal area of Srinagar that claimed the lives of two civilians including a minor girl, the police said on Wednesday.

A top Army commander said that terrorists have started to task young men to lob grenades in populated areas as part of their strategy of “hybrid terrorism”.

The two terror associates have been identified as Muhammad Bariq and Ghulam Nabi Sofi, residents of Koolipora locality of Khanyar area of the city. A bike used to carry out the attack has also been seized.

Speaking to The New Indian, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Srinagar, Rakesh Balwal said that the police arrested the two terror associates after analysing CCTV footage and using hi-tech methods to crack the Amira Kadal terror attack case.

SSP Srinagar Rakesh Balwal

Police had registered a case under Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (attempt to murder), Sections 7/27 of the Indian Arms Act, and Sections 16 and 23 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Shaheed Gunj police station in connection with the grenade attack that took place on Sunday evening.

Srinagar Police had formed a 7-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by SP (South) Lakshay Sharma to investigate the case.

The SIT, the SSP said, employed modern means of investigation to crack the case, including technical evidences like minute frame by frame analysis of the CCTV footages of scene of crime, footages of CCTVs in the entire Srinagar city, cell tower dump analysis, IP dump analysis, recreation of crime scene and examination of some eye witnesses.

“Based on these, SIT was able to identify two accused who came on a two wheeler without number-plate to commit this crime and fled on the same vehicle after committing the terrorist act,” he said adding that during the intense analysis of the CCTV trail in Srinagar city, the route adopted by both accused was located back to one neighbourhood in Khanyar area.

The first accused Bariq, he said, was arrested from Khanyar area. His initial examination led to the arrest of second accused Fazil.

“Further, it was also found that this particular area was chosen due to the omnipresent chaos and turbulent traffic in this stretch of area due to unorganised vendors and stalls on the road,” he said.

“There have been two other recent grenade attacks in this area on August 10, 2021 and January 25, 2022.”

Terrorists use young men to lob grenades: Lt Gen D P Pandey

Lieutenant General D P Pandey, General officer Commanding (GoC) of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, said that terrorists are trying to push terrorism in Kashmir by using young men to lob grenades in crowded places as they are unable to make carry out attack themselves.

Lieutenant General D P Pandey

“The people who are propagating the nexus, who are trying to push terrorism in Kashmir, are using so-called hybrid terrorist, young men, to lob grenades especially in the areas where it is populated,” he said while referring to the Amira Kadal grenade attack.

He said it is high time that society rises up against terrorism in the Valley. “It is only possible to control such grenade lobbying incidents or such mindless killings when the society rises up against the nexus,” Lt Gen Pandey said.

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