SRINAGAR: Forces have detained 23 men suspected of links to the fighter group that masterminded the bombing of a security convoy that killed 44 paramilitary police, a top police official said on Sunday.
The 23 men included members and sympathisers of Jaish-e-Mohammad, the fighter group which has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s attack, the deadliest on security forces in decades.
India has demanded Pakistan close down the Jaish and other militant groups that operate from its soil, while Islamabad has rejected suggestions it was linked to the attack.
Representatives of India’s National Investigating Agency (NIA) questioned the suspects about the bombing on Sunday, two security officials said.
“They are trying to reach out to the top commanders of Jaish-e-Mohammad, including its Kashmir Chief,” one of the sources said.
Mohammed Umair, the commander of the Jaish in Kashmir who is believed to have plotted the attack, is suspected to be hiding in the region where the attacks took place, the officials said.
The officials say Umair had “radicalised and motivated” the Kashmiri school dropout who rammed a car laden with explosives into the convoy on Thursday.
Umair is thought to have entered Kashmir in September to head the Jaish in the region. Security forces suspect he is in hiding in southern Kashmir, according to the officials, who could not be named as a matter of policy.
Officials say Umair is a nephew of the chief of the Jaish, Masood Azhar, who is believed to be in a neighbouring country.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised a strong response to the attack and says he has given the military a free hand to tackle cross-border militancy.
The Jaish, considered to be one of the most lethal fighter groups, has expanded its presence in Kashmir, the police officer said.
India has raided the houses of suspected militants across South Kashmir to find information on those who masterminded and executed the attack.
Muzaffar Ahmad Malik, whose brother declared himself a militant a year ago, said that his house was raided on Saturday by Indian troops.
“They were looking for militants, as they said that they had information about militants hiding in the house,” Malik said.
Investigators are now trying to figure out how a large quantity of explosives used in the attack was smuggled into Kashmir, the officials said.
A spokesman for the ministry of home affairs declined to comment.
Meanwhile, The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Sunday said some miscreants were putting up fake photographs of body parts of troopers, killed in the Pulwama attack, to spread “hatred”, and appealed people to not share or ‘like’ such posts.
“It has been noticed that on social media some miscreants are trying to circulate fake pictures of body parts of our martyrs to trigger hatred. Please do not circulate, share or ‘like’ such photographs or posts,” the CRPF said in a statement.
Such posts/pictures should be reported to webpro@crpf.gov.in, it added.
The CRPF also said “miscreants” were spreading “fake news” about harassment of students from Kashmir on social media.
“The CRPF helpline has enquired about complaints of harassment and found them incorrect. These are attempts to spread hatred. Please do not circulate such posts,” it said.
As many as 49 personnel were killed on February 14, when a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist rammed an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy on the Jammu-Srinagar highway in Pulwama.
Meanwhile, Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Chamling on Sunday announced Rs 3 lakh each for the families of the 49 CRPF personnel who were killed in the Pulwama terror attack.
“My tributes to the martyred soldiers and deepest condolences to their families. The Sikkim government announces Rs 3 lakh for each of the bereaved families,” he said while addressing the annual Sikkim Against Addiction Towards Healthy India (SAATHI) meet here.
“If the Centre permits, the Sikkim government would also take responsibility for the education of the children of the martyrs so that they get quality education,” he said amid cheers from students and supporters.
— Reuters/IANS
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