SRINAGAR: In a video, the widow of Baber Ahmed, one of the two slain cops in SMHS attack, has alleged that the seniors in the police had disarmed her husband while he was on duty.
“His sahab (officer) had taken away arms from Babar Ahmad and the police department must probe the reason behind the move,” Babar’s wife, a resident of south Kashmir had alleged in a video that went viral of social websites. Babar, along with other policemen, Mushtaq Ahmad, a head constable from Karnah, was escorting a jailed Lashkar-e-Toiba militant, Naveed Jath, to a Shri Maharaja Hari Singh hospital. There, they were attacked b militants, killing both of them and taking Naveed along with.
“Babar was my world as I had married him of my own choice, (but) his sahab (officer) had taken away arms from him and this should be looked into why just two policemen were with the prisoner and why weapons were not given to them?”.
On Thursday, Naveed “released” his photograph with one of his accomplices.
Late in the afternoon, Kashmir Police Chief Muneer Ahmad Khan addressed a crowded news conference. Apparently reacting to the particular video in which the young widow of the slain cop talked about the “disarming”, Khan said that usually, the man who guards prisoners called ‘Kadiman’ doesn’t carry any arms.
He later deconstructed the entire attack in his long press conference. Here are the details.
“On February 6, among others, one Pakistani militant namely Mohammad Naveed Jhat, a resident of Wuttan Pakistan was being taken from Central Jail Srinagar for a medical check-up to SMHS, Hospital Srinagar.
On the same day, at around 11: 30 hours, a shootout took place in the said hospital and in the incident two police officials namely HC Mushtaq Ahmad No 249/S and Constable Baber Ahmad No 171/S, who among others were escorting the militant namely Naveed were seriously injured and later succumbed to their injuries.
In the meanwhile, Naveed Jhat managed to escape from the spot with the active participation of some militants and their OGWs (Detailed Below). In this connection Case FIR No. 08/2018 U/S 302, 224 RPC, 7/27 IA Act stands registered in P/S Karan Nagar, Srinagar.
https://www.facebook.com/KashmirLife/videos/1596216943761032/
To expedite the investigations, a SIT has been constituted by DIG SKR, Srinagar. The SIT so constituted conducted initial investigation and during investigation names of the following militants and OGWs involved in the commission of this act of terror have surfaced:-
- Hilal Ahmad Rather S/o Gh. Mohd Rather R/o Begam Bagh Khan Mohalla Kakpora, Pulwama
- Shakeel Ahmad Bhat S/o Mohd Ramzan Bhat R/o Lelhar Kakapora Pulwama
- Tika Khan S/o Abdul Ahad Khan R/O Singu Narbal Pulwama
- Syed Tajamul S/o Syed Mohd Syed R/o Pahu Pulwama
- Mohd Shafi Wani S/o Gh. Mohi ud din Wani R/o Singu Narbal Pulwama
Accordingly, all the above mentioned accused persons except Hilal Ahmad Rather son of Ghulam Mohd Rather, a resident of Begam Bagh Khan Mohalla Kakpora, Pulwama, who is absconding along with Naveed Jhat have been arrested.
From the possession of two militants Shakeel Ahmed Bhat and Tika Khan a pistol each with ammunitions has been recovered. During the course of the investigation, it was also established that Hilal, Shakeel, Tika Khan were masterminds in the whole conspiracy. Tika Khan has also been a frequent visitor to Central Jail Srinagar and was in contact with Naveed Jhat. He visited Central Jail on different pretexts. Moreover, Naveed and rest the gang were in communication using mobile devices during the conspiring stage.
With regard to the investigation of the SMHS incident, it has come to fore that above-accused militants and OGWs were involved in the killing of 2 Cops and in facilitating the escape of Naveed Jhat @ Hanzullah R/o Pak from police custody. During the investigation, it has also surfaced that the conspiracy regarding the escape of the said Pak militants was hatched some months back from Central Jail and militants of LeT and HM active in Kashmir valley. However, the final planning to effect the conspiracy was done a few weeks back at the residence of Tika Khan S/o Abdul Ahad Khan R/o Singu Narbal Pulwama along with Hilal Ahmad Rather S/o of Gh. Mohd Rather R/o Begam Bagh Khan Mohalla Kakpora, Pulwama, Syed Tajamul S/o Syed Mohd Syed R/o Pahu Pulwama, Shakeel Ahmad Bhat S/o Mohd Ramzan Bhat R/o Lelhar Pulwama and Mohd Shafi Wani S/o Gh. Mohi ud din Wani R/o Singu Narbal Pulwama.
It was decided that on the day of medical checkup of Naveed Jhat the above-accused persons will go to SHMS Hospital in Maruti Car bearing Registration No. JK01J-9611 belonging to Mohd Shafi S/o Gh. Mohi ud din Wani R/O Singu Narbal Pulwama and a Pulsar bike belonging to Shakeel Ahmad Bhat S/o Mohd Ramzan Bhat R/o Lelhar Pulwama bearing registration No. CH01BB-3772. Pertinent that vehicles have been recovered and stand seized in the instant case.
On the day of incident, February 6, all the accused as per the plan moved towards the SMHS Hospital Srinagar where Naveed Jhat was being taken for Medical Checkup. The gang members took their respective position in and around SHMS Hospital premises and waited for the arrival of Naveed Jhat. At about 1130 hours police team carrying prisoner, Naveed Jhat arrived in the hospital which was closely being monitored by the accused persons, who had mixed themselves with the attendants and patients.
As Naveed Jhat was taken inside the hospital for a medical checkup, the gang members rushed inside the hospital and fired on the cops carrying Naveed Jhat from very close range and taking advantage of the huge rush of public, patients and attendants managed to escape, along with the Naveed Jhat from police custody. Other dimensions of conspiracy including the leakage of information about the movement of militant Naveed to the hospital is being thoroughly looked into.
Keeping in view the huge rush of patients and attendants inside the SMHS Hospital the policemen did not retaliate the fire just to avoid civilian causalities. The other gang members were ready to receive the militant after the escape. Accordingly, after the escape, Naveed Jhat and Hilal Ahmad boarded the Pulsar bike driven by Shakeel Ahmad Bhat. The other gang members boarded Maruit Car of Mohd Shafi driven by Tika Khan and fled away from the spot.
Later the escaped militant along with the above accused somehow managed to reach Pulwama and stayed at a hideout managed by Tika Khan for the night and on next day afternoon the said Pak militant Naveed Jhat and Hilal Ahmed left the place along with some associates whose identity is yet to be ascertained.
