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NIA says former PDP MLA’s vehicle used to carry out attack on Amarnath pilgrims

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that the vehicle of former Jammu and Kashmir MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir was allegedly used to carry out the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in July 2017, which left seven dead and nearly 20 injured, reported News18.

The attack took place near Batengu area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag on Srinagar-Jammu highway when a bus ferrying the pilgrims was fired upon indiscriminately.

The report said that the Deputy Superintendent of police (NIA) Ravinder has written a letter to Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Additional Director General (police headquarters) stating that Mir has a “soft corner towards separatists” and one of his vehicles was used in “attack” on Amarnath pilgrims.

The investigation agency has sought “crime record” and “integrity report” of the former legislator.

Mir was MLA from Wachi constituency of south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

Days after the attack, police arrested Mir’s driver, Touseef Ahmad Wani, who was deputed with him by J&K Police’s security wing. At the time of his arrest, police had alleged that he was “linked” to militants, the report states.

On September 28 last year, a special police officer (SPO), Adil Bashir, posted as personal security officer (PSO) with the same ex-legislator, fled with seven rifles of his colleagues and personal pistol of Mir from the government-provided accommodation in the high-security zone of government quarters in Jawahar Nagar area of Srinagar.

Different sections of the society in Kashmir had condemned the attack.

The Federation Chamber of Industries (FCIK) had called the incident a ‘dastardly action’.

Jama’at e Islami had said that it was “a cowardly act which only a frustrated lot can commit,” the spokesperson added.

Addressing a media conference, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir Zone, Muneer Ahmad Khan, had said that the July 10 attack on a bus carrying Amarnath pilgrims in Batengo area of Srinagar-Jammu highway which left eight pilgrims dead was carried out by Lashkar e Taiba.

However the militant outfit, in a statement to Kashmir based news agency GNS called the attack on pilgrims a ‘highly reprehensible act’ and called the incident a ‘trademark of Indian forces’.

 

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