The J&K Police has arrested a key accused among two in the Udhampur blast case in which 17 persons were injured on which one later succumbed to injuries.
Additional Director General of Police Mukesh Singh on Saturday said the person fitted a sticky bomb improvised explosive device (IED) on the directions of his handlers in Pakistan.
"A number of suspects were questioned and one Mohammad Ramzan of Ramban confessed that he had placed a sticky bomb IED at Slathia Chowk in Udhampur on March 9 on the directions of his Pakistani handler Mohammad Amin alias Khubaib," Singh told reporters.
He received Rs 30,000 in his Jammu and Kashmir Bank account on March 23 for the blast he carried out in Udhampur as promised by Khubaib, the ADGP said.
He said the father of Mohammad Ramzan, Mohd. Ishaq Sohil, was a trained terrorist of the Pakistan-based Laskar-e-Taiba (LeT).
On March 9 this year, a sticky bomb IED blast took place at Slathia Chowk in Udhampur causing injuries to 17 people. One of the injured succumbed to injuries.
"Ramzan received Rs 30,000 in his bank account on March 23 for the blast he carried out at Udhampur as promised by the handler," the officer said, adding the amount was deposited by Khurshed Ahmed of Doda. Khurshed was also arrested in the case.
The officer said the third accused, Nisar Ahmed Khan of Bhaderwah, was a trained terrorist and remained active in Doda district from 2001 to 2006.
"On his disclosure, a sticky bomb IED was recovered from Kursari village in forest area of Bhaderwah," said the officer.
The AGDP further said that the third arrest was of Nisar Ahmed Khan S/O Late Ghulam Mohd. Khan R/O Dhani Bhaderwah, who was a trained militant and remain active in the belt of Doda district during the year 2001 to 2006 with LeT.
“Nisar Ahmed Khan handles the transportation of IDEs on the directions of Khubaib. He picked the Sticky bomb IEDs twice, one in the month of December 2021 and other in the month of January 2022 from Belicharana, Jammu, the location and the picture of the same was sent to him on his suspicious application on internet,” the ADGP Singh said.
“On his disclosure, one Sticky Bomb IED was recovered from Kursari village in forest area of Bhaderwah, Doda District,” Singh said.
The ADGP further said that investigation of the said case is going on and more arrests are expected in near future.
The ADGP further said that from new pattern and recoveries near border, it seems that the “sticky bomb threat is real and people must stay cautious to when venture out.”
“In past sticky bombs were recovered. The case happened in Rajouri-Poonch, Udhampur, and a suspicious blast occurred in Vaishno Devi pilgrim’s bus, inquiry and forensic report of which are still pending, so this is a real threat and we people need to remain cautious,” he said