17 December,2023 01:54 PM IST | Srinagar | mid-day online correspondent
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The Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested three people they have described as "hybrid" terrorists for their roles in last week's attack on a police officer in Srinagar's Bemina neighbourhood. During a briefing on Sunday, Director General of Police R R Swain confirmed the same, stated a report in PTI.
According to the report, Constable Muhammad Hafeez Chak was attacked on December 9 as he was making his way home. According to Swain, the mastermind of the incident, Arjumand, also known as Hamza Burhan, is based in Pakistan and planned the attack in collaboration with a local, Danish Ahmad Malla.
The attackers are "hybrid" terrorists, according to the authorities, who described them as such because they carry out their crimes and then easily reintegrate into society. According to Swain's account, Malla, who lived in the same neighbourhood as the police officer, enlisted Mehnaan Khan and Imtiyaz Khanday as the other two culprits.
"The hybrid terrorists who were involved in the attack have been arrested. This briefing is about the success that the J&K Police has achieved in tracing the killers (attackers) of one of our policemen. Constable Mohammad Hafeez Chak fortunately survived the attack. We hope and pray that he will be back hale and hearty. As far as the killers (are concerned), they have done their job. Six bullets were fired, three hit the cop and three did not," Swain was quoted as saying in the PTI report.
"They managed (to get) pistols and followed him for several days before carrying out the attack. The pistol used (in the attack) has been recovered at the instance of Khanday who had fired the bullets. They had many other targets. While some were finalised, others were in the process of being identified. Most of the targets were policemen but there were some non-policemen also on their radar," he said.
Six shots were fired during the incident, which was carried out after the attackers followed Constable Chak for a few days. Thankfully, Chak made it through the experience with only three bullet wounds.
The investigation turned up a list of possible targets, and the confiscated pistols and ammo were linked to the detained people. The targets were mostly law enforcement officers, while some civilians were also being considered.
Addressing the weapon used in the attack, the DGP mentioned the Turkish pistol Canik TP9, highlighting its quality and lightweight nature. Swain noted the recurrent recovery of Canik TP9 pistols from terrorists in the region, indicating a concerning trend of these arms being smuggled into Jammu and Kashmir, potentially via drones and other means from Pakistan.
While questioned about a connection to the killing of Inspector Masroor Wani, the DGP specified that the NIA is investigating that case, refraining from prematurely drawing connections at this stage. The investigation continues to trace the roots of these attacks and how such arms are being brought into the region.
"That (case) is still under investigation, the NIA has taken over the investigation. I think It would be inappropriate to prematurely start connecting," he said.
He then added, "But we are seeing a pattern and a trend... this category of small arms is being brought into Jammu and Kashmir through drones and a variety of other means, being smuggled into our side from Pakistan."
