Partap Park grenade attack: Former PDP minister’s kin, NEET aspirant among 3 held

Srinagar, Feb 7: Police on Friday claimed to have busted a Jaish-e-Muhammad’s (JeM) grenade throwing module by arresting three alleged militants including a close relative of a former PDP MLA and a NEET aspirant.
Police said the trio was responsible for a grenade attack at Partap Park on Sunday. Nine people including two CRPF personnel were injured when suspected militants’ lobbed grenade at CRPF detachment deputed for security inside the park. 
Police identified trio as Shakeel Ahmad Band, a close relative of former senior PDP Minister Mohommad Khalil Bandh, Shamshad Manzoor, a 12th class pass out and Naveed-ul-Lateef who was preparing for NEET exams.  Naveed and Shakeel are residents of Pulwama while Shamshad is the resident of Shopian.
Police said Naveed and Shamshad have been recruited recently recruit, while Band was operating for three years. “Through our digital records and other sources we have busted this module. They have been associated with Jaish-e- Mohammad. One of them was operating for three years,” Senior Superintendent of Police Dr Haseeb Mughal told reporters on Friday.
The trio, Mughal said, were motivated to the extent that they flipped a coin to decide who would hurl the grenade. “The toss was between Naveed and Shamshad as to who will hurl the grenade”, Dr Haseeb said.
According to SSP Srinagar, the trio conducted reconnaissance of the area for an hour before they lobbed the grenade in the park to target the forces. “When they found forces busy washing hands, they hurled the grenade,” he said.
Dr Hasseb said investigation has found their links with the militants across the border in Pakistan. “They were in touch through VPNs. Life is limping back to normalcy in Srinagar. It is something that their masters do not want. Their efforts are to disrupting it. But we are alert. We won’t allow them to succeed. Our investigation is an example,” he said.
Later on the sidelines of the presser, Dr Haseeb said former MLA Khalil Bandh will be called for questioning.  “Coaching center where Naveed was receiving education will also be visited”, he said.
SSP said police is committed to ensure peace and tranquility so that normal activities are not hampered with. “Further investigation is going on. CRPF has also helped us in the investigation,” he added.