BackOne killed, 30 injured in grenade attack at bus stand in Jammu
The attack took place at a crowded bus standSecurity camps in the adjoining areas have sounded a red alert
PremiumNEW DELHI : A Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist on Thursday hurled a grenade at a bus stand in Jammu, killing one person and injuring 30 people.
The attack came a day after the Pakistan government, in what seemed like a small step at reining in terrorism on its soil, detained Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Maulana Masood Azhar’s brother Mufti Abdul Rauf Asghar and son, Hammad Azhar among 44 others.
However, security forces who have been operating in Kashmir said the optics aside, the step will do little to change the security situation in the valley anytime soon.
The attacker, who was arrested, was named as Yasir Bhatt. Inspector-general of police M.K. Sinha said: “Teams were constituted to work on leads, CCTV camera footage was examined, (and) based on oral testimony of witnesses we were able to identify a suspect. He was detained, his name is Yasir Bhatt; he has confessed to the crime."
“It is a crowded place and has maximum impact. Yasir Bhatt was tasked to throw this grenade by the district commander of Hizbul Mujahideen in Kulgam, Farooq Ahmed Bhatt, alias Omar," added Sinha.
Senior central government officials said terror attacks in the valley will likely not stop despite Pakistan’s action against the JeM leadership.
“People like Rauf Asghar or even Maulana Masood Azhar for that matter are just figureheads of the organization. Their network, which controls recruitment and planning in the valley, is very deeply entrenched and is unlikely to get hit by the detainment of Asghar or Hammad Azhar.
In 2017, Masood Azhar’s nephews Talha Rashid and Usman Ibrahim were killed, but that did not deter the group or other groups at all. If anything, it emboldened them," said a senior official, requesting anonymity.
Other experts said even if Pakistan followed through on taking action against the arrested individuals, its effects in the valley would take time to show.
“A similar move by Pakistan had taken place during Operation Parakram (2001-02), when Pakistan gave mixed statements. The question is, has the world really tightened the grip on Pakistan? If at all, only China, Saudi Arabia and UAE can make a difference," said Lt. Gen (retired) H.S. Panag.
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