Jammu and Kashmir police has arrested three persons, who it claimed carried out the attack on the owner of Krishna Dhabar in Sonawar area “to instill fear among tourists on a day when foreign envoys were in Srinagar”.
Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kashmir Vijay Kumar Friday said that
“three bike-borne newly recruited militants” had shot Aakash Mehra, the son of Krishna Dhaba, a famous eatery in the summer capital.
“We acted swiftly and constituted teams under the supervision of DIG rank officer that was headed by SP (South City). A civilian called SP South city that attackers were riding a bike after which we accessed the CCTV footage and followed other inputs,” the IGP Kashmir said addressing a presser at the Police Control Room (PCR).
Kumar said that Srinagar police with the help of Anantnag police followed certain leads and arrested two youth who were involved in the act. “The bike used in the offence and pistol were seized. After interrogating the duo, they revealed that third person was also involved in the crime. Third one was also arrested. All three were newly recruited militants and one of them was given pistol training in the forest area of Pahalgam,” the IGP Kashmir said. “Two arrested youth hail from Pampore and third one is from Pulwama.”
He said that three youth were recruited by a “Lashkar-e-Toiba or TRF commander Gazi, who had tasked the trio to strike at Krishna Dhaba where tourist rush is always high and the shop even remains open during hartals”.
He said that all three arrested youth have accepted the crime and “we have recorded their confession statement in a video to be produced before the court along with the challan.” “We have cracked the case in 24 hours and it is a big success for us,” he said.
Asked whether any further security measures would be taken given the fact that tourist season is coming, he said that there would be more surveillance and deployment in the busy areas of Srinagar and elsewhere. “More bunkers will be set up if needed in these areas. A close watch will be kept on the elements who may try to disturb the peace. Frisking will also be intensified,” he said. (KNO)
