Reasi Terror Attack: Terrorists’ main associate arrested, says SSP Mohita Sharma

Jammu, June 19: In a major breakthrough, police Wednesday stated to have arrested the prime associate of terrorists, involved in the despicable attack on pilgrims’ bus in Reasi on June 9.

Senior Superintendent of Police Reasi Mohita Sharma, while describing this arrest as a “major achievement” in a press conference this evening, said that the arrested associate had helped the terrorists on several occasions in the past also by providing them with food, shelter and other logistics.

“We have achieved a major breakthrough in the case related to terrorists’ heinous attack on the pilgrims’ bus, on the way from Shiv Khori to Katra, on June 9 by apprehending their (terrorists’) main associate, identified as Hakam Din, 45, son of Makhan, resident of Bandrahi of Rajouri district. He has been arrested by the police in Reasi district,” she said.

SSP stated, “Hakam Din had helped the terrorists on several occasions by providing them with food, shelter and other logistics. He had harboured the terrorists as his residence. Besides, he acted as a guide and took them to the site of attack. This associate of terrorists played a primary role in helping them (terrorists) execute this heinous act (attack on pilgrims’ bus). Further interrogation and investigation in the case are underway.”

She said as per the disclosures of the arrested associate, there were three terrorists, who had stayed in his house.

Responding to a question pertaining to the number of persons apprehended in connection with this case, she said that around 150 suspects were arrested so far in the district on the basis of inputs received and technical evidence.

“However, no woman has been arrested so far,” she said, in reply to a related query.

Did the police have any specific input about the attack on Shivkhori pilgrims? When asked this question, SSP Reasi said, “See, we did not have any specific input on this account. Various pilgrimages are presently underway in J&K. There are certain pilgrimages which are undertaken or conducted for a particular period. As far as Shiv Khori Yatra is concerned, it goes on throughout the year. We generally remain alert during Yatra. General alert was in place. Swearing-in ceremony of the new (union) government was scheduled that day besides the India-Pakistan match was also being played, so we’re alert but no specific input about it (attack) was there with the police.”

“As far as those terrorists were concerned, we are still interrogating and investigating,” SSP Mohita said.

In response to a question, she said that the terrorists involved in the attack were all Pakistanis.

“As per initial interrogation, he (associate) divulged that those terrorists came to his place thrice and he provided them with food, shelter on all the occasions. Even during recce of the place, it was ensured that they were not caught on CCTVs anywhere. Just a day prior to the attack, they were at his place, and had food there multiple times. Then he dropped them at the spot of the incident via dense forest. He worked as a guide for them for Rs 6000. As per his disclosure, he (associate) was there at the time of incident and after it, he took them out to a safer place,” SSP stated, while giving a brief chronology of the terror attack and Hakam Din’s role in it.

SSP stated since the site of incident was a far-off place, it took her one-and-a-half hour to reach there, however the local police immediately reached there and initiated a rescue operation.

She, however, refused to disclose further details in the case stating that it would impact further investigation, which would continue till they (terrorists) were caught or killed.

Nine people, including seven pilgrims were killed and 42 others were injured in this terror attack.