Srinagar, Nov 22: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) has arrested an AC technician and detained a Senior Resident doctor for questioning as investigators widen the Red Fort blast case to alleged weapon supply links and suspected associations with suicide bomber Dr Umar Farooq, officials said.
Top officials privy to the development told news agency that the agency has arrested Tufail Niyaz Bhat, a resident of Batamaloo, Srinagar, in connection with the ongoing investigation into the Red Fort blast case.
Bhat, who was working as an AC technician at the Industrial Estate in Pulwama, was detained from Pulwama and formally arrested after sustained questioning, officials said.
“Bhat is suspected to be the possible provider of an AK-47 rifle that was recovered earlier from a locker assigned to Dr Adeel Ahmad at the Government Medical College (GMC) in Anantnag. Dr Adeel is already in the custody of the NIA as a primary accused in the case,” the sources familiar with the investigation told Kashmir Dot Com.
“During investigation, it has surfaced that the suicide bomber of the Red Fort blast, Dr Umar Farooq, while pursuing his MBBS studies at GMC Srinagar, was residing as a tenant in Batamaloo in the same vicinity where Niyaz resides. It is believed that the proximity may have led to their contact, and it is suspected that Niyaz may have handed the weapon to Dr Umar, who then allegedly transferred it to Dr Adeel, where it was later recovered during earlier raids,” the sources said.
They said that investigations have further revealed that Niyaz is believed to have procured the weapon from a Pakistani handler, who remains untraceable. A manhunt is ongoing to establish the handler’s identity and movement trail.
Meanwhile, in the widening probe, the SIA has also detained Dr Muneeb Ul Islam, an MBBS and MD, a resident of Padder, Shopian, currently serving as a Senior Resident Doctor at the Bone and Joint Hospital in Srinagar.
Dr Muneeb is reported to have been a close friend of suicide bomber Dr Umar Farooq, and sources say extensive questioning regarding possible links and knowledge is underway.
Moreover, a Non-Bailable Warrant has been issued against Dr Muzzaffar Ahmad, the brother of accused Dr Adeel. The warrant was executed at his residence in Qazigund, South Kashmir. Records accessed by investigative teams indicate that Dr Muzzaffar last boarded a flight to Dubai, and intelligence inputs suggest he may have subsequently travelled to Afghanistan, where he is believed to be currently located.
The officials said that investigations are ongoing and further arrests or summonses cannot be ruled out. (KDC)
