Jammu, Oct 02: A surrendered terrorist of Hijbul Mujahidin (HM), who is now linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has been arrested in the Udhampur twin blasts case, police said.
Two people were injured in as many explosions in two buses—JK14D-6857 and JK14C 3636—one of them parked near a petrol pump and the other at Udhampur Bus Stand, within a gap of eight hours on September 28 and 29.
Sharing the details about the recent arrest during a press conference here, ADGP Jammu Mukesh Singh said that the twin blasts were carried out on the directions of a Pakistan based mastermind, Mohammad Amin Bhat alias Khubaib, who was also involved in planting a sticky bomb at Salathia Chowk area of Udhampur earlier in March this year. One person died in the explosion of the sticky bomb while 14 others were injured in the attack.
Drones used to drop sticky bombs
The ADGP Jammu, Mukesh Singh further added that Khubaib carried out the attacks by re-activating a surrendered terrorist, Aslam Sheikh, from Basantgarh area, using social media.
On September 21, the ADGP said, Sheikh Aslam was asked to pick up the consignment of the explosive material dropped using drones by Mohammad Amin Bhat.
Accordingly, on the intervening nights of September 23 and 24, Sheikh Aslam picked up 3 sticky bombs and 4 new types of IEDs from Dyala Chack area and took them home.
On September 27, Sheikh Aslam got another message from Amin Bhat to fix these bombs on certain suitable locations ahead of a high-profile visit to the Union Territory.
Accordingly, Sheikh Aslam boarded a bus from Basantgarh area and de-boarded it at Ramnagar where he activated two IEDs in a washroom and placed them in two buses, including the one he reached Ramnagar in.
“Aslam fixed 7 hours timer for one of the buses and 14 hours’ for the other,” said the police officer, adding, “he then left home for Basnatgarh”.
During investigation, the ADGP said, Udhampur police picked up some 5-6 suspects for questioning, one of them Aslam Sheikh, who, during questioning, confessed to have carried out the attacks.
On the basis of Aslam’s confession, the ADGP said, remaining 5 IEDs, including 3 sticky bombs were recovered. Two of them were placed on other locations in Udhampur, added the ADGP Mukesh Singh.
With the arrest of Aslam, ADGP Mukesh Singh said that another module of Jaish has been busted in Kathua with the arrested of another terrorist Zakir Hussain, who is resident of Malarh, who was acting on the directions of another Pakistani terrorist Fareed.
With Zakir’s arrest as well, a sticky bomb has been recovered.
Mohammad Aslam Sheikh is a surrendered terrorist of Hibul Mujahidin who was active until 2005. He was arrested and later released. Aslam is also involved in two other crimes.