SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir police has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the militant attack on Amarnath yatris in south Kashmir in which seven pilgrims were killed and 19 were injured.
“We have constituted an SIT to investigate the attack on,” said inspector general of police in Kashmir, Munir Ahmad Khan.
The six-member SIT is headed by deputy inspector general (DIG) of police, South Kashmir, SP Pani. It also includes SSP (Anantnag) Altaf Ahmad Khan and some other police officials from Anantnag district.
A police official said the SIT has been formed for a speedy investigation into the attack on Amarnath Yatris. He said the SIT would try to find out who provided logistic and local support to the militants.
Police have blamed militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba for the attack. “Four Lashkar militants were involved in the attack. The group comprised two Pakistani militants and two locals and the attack was masterminded by Pakistani militant Abu Ismail. Other three militants involved in the attack have also been identified,” a police official said.
He said Abu Ismail is the second most important man in hierarchy of Lashkar in Kashmir after Abu Dujana, who took over as Kashmir chief of LeT after the death of his predecessor Abu Qasim in October 2015.
Police sources said the SIT would also investigate whether the attack on yatris was a revenge attack by Lashkar militants for the killing of its top commander Bashir Lashkari by security forces on July 1.
Police said that Lashkari was a top LeT commander and was involved in the June 16 attack on a police party in Achabal area of Anantnag district in which six policemen including a SHO was were killed.
The police, CRPF and Army have launched a massive manhunt for Abu Ismail and other militants involved in attack on the yatris.
The security forces are conducting intelligence-based operations in south Kashmir to track down the militants responsible for the attack, a police official said.
After the Monday attack on yatris, security measures for the yatra have been intensified and Road Opening Parties (ROPs) of security forces will now remain deployed on Kashmir stretch of Srinagar-Jammu national highway.