Kashmiri MEd student held for Banihal attack link in Bathinda

BATHINDA: The Jammu and Kashmir police on Tuesday arrested a Kashmiri student studying at the Central University of Punjab in Bathinda for links to the failed suicide car bomb attack in Banihal. The M Ed student, Hilal Ahmed (28), was wanted for links to the attack in which a Hyundai Santro was being used to target a CRPF convoy on March 30, 2019, in a repeat of the Pulwama attack. However, the attack failed as the terrorists involved abandoned the vehicle full of explosives just before the blast and no casualty was reported.
The Banihal police had registered FIR 39 on March 30 under Sections 307(attempt to murder), 120 (concealing design to commit offence), 120A (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war or attempting to wage war against government), 121A (conspiracy to commit offences u/s 121), Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention)Act.
Hilal's role in the Banihal attack could, however, not be confirmed. Sources in the Punjab Police indicated that he had been involved in preparing the IEDs.
Not told why Hilal was held: Bathinda SSP
The sources said that a team of J&K Police, led by Javed Kataria, conducted a raid on the Central University and took Hilal into custody. The team has taken Hilal to Jammu and Kashmir for further investigation.
Hilal is also linked to terror activities and involved in terror funding in Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said.
Bathinda SSP Nanak Singh confirmed Hilal’s arrest but did not elaborate on the reasons for the arrest. He said the J&K police had an arrest warrant against Hilal. “We only facilitated in executing the warrant but we were not told about the reasons behind his arrest,” the SSP added. The Punjab Police had claimed earlier that terror outfits in the Valley had been making attempts to introduce such terror activities in Punjab.
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