Following disclosures by the main conspirator of the Ind police post attack on August 2 that left two cops injured, the Jammu and Kashmir police have recovered two grenades from Jabbar forests of Gool area in Ramban district on Friday, said officials.
“Two grenades were recovered from Jabbar forests of Gool area in the Ind police post blast case on the disclosure of main conspirator Shoket Ali Laiwal, son of Latief Laiwal of Thakrakot in Reasi,” said a senior police officer.
Laiwal was recently arrested.
“The grenades were hidden in the Jabbar forests with the intention of being used on security forces in near future. Shoket Ali Laiwal was arrested a few days back in Case FIR number 69/2022 under Sections 307, 120-B, 121 of the IPC, 16, 17, 18 18B, 19, 20, 38, 39 of UAPA, 4/5 Explosive Act registered at Gool police station,” he said.
The official said that Laiwal was subjected to sustained questioning during which he confessed that he was part of the conspiracy behind lobbying of explosive on security forces and disclosed that he had hidden two more live grenades in the Jabbar forests.
Immediately, a special team was rushed to the spot along with militant Shoket Ali Laiwal for disclosing the exact location and the two live grenades were recovered from the spot in the presence of senior superintendent of police (SSP) Ramban, Mohita Sharma, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Gool, Nihar Ranjan and naib tehsildar Gool, Nazir.
On August 2, at 4.52am some unidentified terrorists hurled an explosive at Police Post Ind that left two cops injured.
A hand written piece of paper was found near the police post, which claimed that the attack was carried out by J&K Ghaznavi Force (JKGF).
Investigations revealed that LeT terrorist Talib Hussain of Draj in Budhal area of Rajouri, who was arrested on July 4, had visited Gool area of Ramban in 2021 to give some money to a person in Gool.
Acting on this lead, police arrested two terror operatives, Shah Din Padyar of Gool and Mohammad Farooq of Mahakund.
They were given funds from JKGF and were in the process of recruiting the youth to revive militancy in Ramban.
It may be stated that Ind once remained a hotbed of terrorists and the same police post was attacked 19 years ago.
In the gruesome attack, at least 11 policemen and two VDC members were killed by the terrorists to avenge the killing of Hizb’s divisional commander, Amanullah Peer.
The terrorists took along the head of a SPO Shadi Lal, son of Master Tirath Ram of Ind, with them 19 years ago and his skull was found in August 2020 from a rivulet in Ramban.
Among the killed policemen were Khurshid Ahmed, Farid Ahmed, Angrez Singh, Shaukat Ali, Sher Singh, Shadi Lal, Mohammad Iqbal, Bashir Ahmed and Mohammad Altaf.
Those kidnapped and later killed were identified as Nissar Ahmed, Manzoor Ahmed, Jan Mohammad and Sher Mohammad.
The attack was planned by UJC chief Salahuddin and 15 to 20 armed terrorists on the dreadful night of March 15, 2004.
Meanwhile, police recovered a major drugs haul at Udhampur late Friday and arrested two interstate drug smugglers along with an Innova car and seven kilograms of heroin.
The accused couple has been identified as Lovepreet Singh of Ram Tirth Road in Amritsar and his wife Mandeep Kaur.
A case under relevant sections of law has been registered in PS Udhampur and an investigation has been taken up.