J&K police pick up CRPF man: ‘he put bomb in camp’

The Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested a Central Reserve Police Force...

The Jammu and Kashmir police have arrested a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) constable for allegedly planting an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at the battalion headquarters in Pulwama district of south Kashmir before going on leave.

Police sources said Mudasir Yousuf Bhat, 22, who was arrested from his home in Botingoo village of Sopore last night, had links with the Hizbul Mujahideen. On Tuesday, he had proceeded on leave for 10 days, after planting an IED at the CRPF battalion headquarters, officials said.

“Yes, we have arrested a CRPF constable,” said DIG (South Kashmir) Hemant Kumar Lohia. He said the police were investigating the case and looking into “its various aspects”.

Story continues below this ad

CRPF IG M S Gupta said the constable was recruited in 2006 from a “non-militant background” and had completed his training in 2007. “Obviously, he must have had some old links with militants,” he said.

“He was given an IED through a Hizb courier. The IED was fitted in a steel glass wrapped as a gift pack,” said police sources. “The IED was programmed and could have exploded anytime during his 10-day leave,” they added.

The police were alerted by a cellphone intercept in which the Hizbul’s district chief for Pulwama was caught talking to someone about an IED blast. The call was traced to the CRPF jawan. Police immediately picked up Bhat.