Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 24: Even after lapse of a month, a powerful blast in the office of Naib Tehsildar at Dhar Galoon in Mendhar tehsil remained unsolved notwithstanding identification of two militants of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, who had triggered the explosion.
Official sources told the Excelsior that a local Hizbul Mujahideen militant of Dhar Galoon along with his Kashmiri associate had caused the blast in connivance with some other persons over a dispute on creation of administrative unit at Dhar Galoon.
Police have identified the prime accused as Irfan Ahmad Kakad, a resident of Dhar Galoon, who was working for Hizbul Mujahideen outfit and his associate, who had helped in triggering the explosion as Abdul Majeed Ganaie, a resident of Batamaloo in Srinagar district.
Though the militancy has almost died in Poonch district, sources said, Ganaie had been contacted by some persons to blast the office of Naib Tehsildar anticipating that it would be converted into the office of Tehsildar as tehsil status had been granted to the area by the Cabinet Sub Committee on creation of new administrative units.
The persons, who got the blast triggered, reportedly wanted the new tehsil to be set up at Patta Kulian near Bhimber Gali.
The unidentified persons, who wanted the tehsil to be set up at Patta Kulian in BG had hired services of Irfan Ahmad Kakad as he was an old surviving militant of the Hizbul Mujahideen outfit though he was lying low for past quite some time.
Sources said Kakad had, in turn, approached a Kashmir based Hizbul Mujahideen militant Abdul Majid Ganaie, who was known to him since the days of militancy. Kakad took explosives from Ganaie, shifted them to his house and getting an opportunity planted them in the office of Naib Tehsildar, Dhar Galoon, where new Tehsildar had to take charge the next day of the blast i.e. on June 25.
The blast had occurred on the intervening night of July 24 and 25.
Kakad had planted the explosives in the office and detonated them, leading to blowing up of the office. This was done to ensure that the Tehsildar was not able to take the charge there and the newly created administrative unit (tehsil office) was shifted to Pata Kulian in BG.
It may be mentioned here that a police team from Poonch had conducted raids at Batamaloo and Ikhwan Chowk to nab Kakad and Ganaie but due to traffic jam, both had managed to give a slip to police.
Sources said while Kakad, a resident of Poonch was arrested from downtown, the team had raided the rented residence of Abdul Majeed Ganaie at Batamaloo.
Ganaie was not present at his residence but the police team got a tip off about his presence at Ikhwan Chowk, where he was picked up, sources said, adding that both of them had managed to escape during the traffic jam.
Sources admitted that police had come across a unique case wherein the terror act was committed to shift the newly created administrative unit. However, they said, the things would be fully clear only once Kakad and Ganaie were arrested as they would spill beans as to who had hired them for procuring and planting the explosive device in the office of the Naib Tehsildar.
Special police teams of Poonch were engaged in investigations of the blast. Poonch police has also sounded their counterparts in Srinagar for the arrest of blast accused.
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