J&K: Police Crack Attack Case On Municipal Building, Search On To Track 2 Lashkar Militants

Jammu and Kashmir police with the help of other security agencies had launched multiple cordon and search operations in the areas adjoining Sopore. 

(Representative Image/Getty)

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police claimed to have solved the attack case on Sopore Municipal Council in which two councillors and one policeman were killed. The brazen attack was carried out by two Lashkar militants, including one pakistani who are still at large, while police have arrested 6 over-ground workers (OGW) who helped in the attack. 

SSP Sopore Sudhanshu Verma-IPS while briefing the media said that immediately after the attack on 29th March, Jammu and Kashmir police with the help of other security agencies had launched multiple cordon and search operations in the areas adjoining Sopore. 

During the operations, one OGW namely Ashiq Ahmad Pandith of Dangerpora revealed that the terrorists namely Mudasir Pandith @ Maaz along with a pakistani militant Asrar had planned and executed the attack. Ashiq revealed that the plan was made at his residence by the two militants during their stay at his home between 25th - 28th March. 

Further investigations revealed the involvement of two more OGWs - Junaid Ahmed Shusha, who along with Sayeed Imran and Umair Ashiq carried out detailed recee of the sopore town and municipal complex. The plan was hatched with active support of a paksitani handler Sajid Ali, based in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

Before the attack, Lashkar militants, Mudasir and  Asrar carried out a final recee of the building with two more Pakistani militants identified as Ahmad and  AbuSariya. All the militants were taken to the complex by Imran and another worker Shakir Yousuf Bhat, who has been used to ferry Mudasir & his associates from Sopore to other places .

On the designated day - 29th of March Imran and Shakir carried Mudasir and Asrar to the municipal complex on motorcycles from the residence of one of his relatives at Sopore. 

One more OGW, Feroz Ahmed was also involved to keep watch during the attack while Junaid and Imran went inside the building to get the final information about the presence of the municipal councillors and their security. 

And finally at about 12:48 PM militants went inside  the complex and indiscriminately opened fire upon Police personnel and  counsellors resulting in spot death of counsellors Riyaz Ahamd Pir & SPO Shafat Ahmad and seriously injuring counsellor Shamus Din Pir who later succumbed to his injuries. 

Police said that after the attack, both Mudasir and Asrar then boarded Shakir's bike and escaped into Syedpora Orchards using interior roads and are still at large. Security forces are now tailing both the militants, who will be neutralised soon, police said.