5 JeM militants held in connection with circus worker’s killing in Ang

Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Police Friday claimed to have solved the murder case of Deepu or Udhampur who was shot dead at Anantnag district of South Kashmir on May 29 this year, by arresting five militants. Police also recovered weapons from the arrested militants.
Addressing press conference, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police South Kashmir Range, Muhammad Rayees Bhat said that it took a lot of time to arrest the accused and break the case. “On May 29 this year, at around 9:15 pm, militants had shot dead labourer from Udhampur at the main town Anantnag,” he said.
He said that scooty-borne militants had travelled upto the amusement park near GMC Anantnag and with the assistance of their illegally procured arms/ammunition, fired upon a non-local labourer namely Deepak Kumar alias Deepu S/O Mashu R/O Thial – Panchayat Deot Bilaspur Udhampur causing serious and fatal injuries to him, who was shifted to hospital GMC-Anantnag by the labourers of the amusement park where doctors declared him brought dead. “After killing of Deepak Kumar alias Deepu, the militant had fled from the spot,” he said, adding that “An FIR NO 171/2023 U/S 7/27 I.A Act, 302 IPC 16,18,20,39 ULAP Act was registered and investigation was set into motion. A SIT was constituted by DPO Anantnag vide order No. RD/SIT/23/29332-37 dated 30-05-2023 and the investigation was conducted and all possible technical, human and scientific evidences were collected and analysed, searches were conducted to nab the involved accused militants and various evidences at the scene of crime were assessed and analysed and the empty cartridges were recovered and seized on the spot.”
The DIG said that two persons from Deva Colony got missing namely Sehran Bashir Nada S/O Bashir Ahmad Nadaf R/O Shirpora Deva Colony and Ubaid Nazir Laigroo S/O Nazir Ahmad Laigroo R/O Shirpora New Colony had gone missing.
“The missing case of these two persons was also considered by the investigation team and the technical and human data was analysed which led to reconstructing of the sequence of events,” he said. “Anantnag police on 06-06-23 at about 2230hours apprehended two suspect persons during Naka Checking at Semthan-Tulkhan Crossing. Their disclosure led to major breakthrough in the case and the accused persons involved in the commission of the crime which led to killing of the non-local labourer namely Deepak Kumar alias Deepu were identified. Their disclosure coupled with the scientific and technical data analysis led to the recoveries of arms ammunition and a scooty bearing registration No. JK03M 0442 used in the commission of act.”
The DIG said that the incriminating materials were recovered and seized in presence of the Executive Magistrate and two main accused persons associated with JeM/Kashmir Freedom Fighters banned outfit who were involved in the commission of crime were arrested.
“Further investigation of the case has established the identities of more accused persons who had provided logistic support and had hatched a criminal conspiracy with the co-accused and subsequently three more accused have been arrested,” he said.
The Police officer said that it is pertinent to mention here that the accused persons were in contact with a JeM/KFF handler namely Khalid Kamran and the incident was carried out on his orders.
He said that with the arrest of these militants and the recoveries made from them, Anantnag Police solved a prime case of militant attack and have succeeded in averting major attacks which these militants had been tasked to carry out by their handler across the border. “Further investigations are underway and more revelations are expected,” he said.