In a major breakthrough in the Reasi terror attack case, the Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested a man who allegedly acted as a guide and provided shelter to the terrorists involved in the ambush.
Terrorists sprayed bullets on a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori to Katra in Reasi on June 9. Nine people, including the driver, were killed while 33 others injured as the bus plunged into a gorge.
Police arrested Makhan Din, a resident of Bandhrahi in Rajouri, who allegedly guided the terrorists to the attack site through the forested areas and ensured their retreat through the same route.
According to police, the attack involved three Pakistani terrorists, though they had no specific intelligence about it. "A general alert was there due to the swearing-in ceremony of the new government and also due to the India versus Pakistan cricket match but no specific input was there," Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Reasi, Mohita Sharma, said.
A terror attack case has been registered under Sections 302 and 307 of the Indian Penel Code, Section 727 of the Arms Act, and Sections 16, 18, and 20 of the UAPA. SSP Sharma revealed that before the attack the terrorists had stayed at Din's home in Badhrahi, where they were given food and shelter.
In the past ten days, Reasi police have detained around 150 individuals connected to the case based on available information and technical evidence.
The police have recovered Rs 6,000 in cash from Din, though no arms or ammunition were found.
Responding to questions, Sharma confirmed that the three terrorists had stayed at Din's house three times.
She said that no road opening party had ever been deployed in this area, describing the attack on the pilgrims as unfortunate. "But after the attack, security has been improved and people have been advised to take the pilgrimage like they were doing before," she said.
The attack on the pilgrims who hailed from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan has sparked anger and intense operations by the security forces in Reasi.
After the Reasi attack, an encounter broke out in Kathua in which two terrorists were killed and one civilian was injured. In another encounter in Doda, five soldiers and a policeman were injured after terrorists opened fire at a checkpoint.
The spurt in attack rang alarm bells with Home Minister Amit Shah convening a meeting of security and intelligence agencies and directing them to adopt area domination and zero tolerance for terrorism in Jammu.
After the attacks, security has been heightened in Rajouri, Poonch—bordering Pakistan-occupied Kashmir—Doda and Reasi given the Amarnath Yatra that begins on June 29 and concludes on August 19 and the upcoming assembly polls.
