7 years of Pulwama attack. file photo
Naveen Nawaz, Srinagar. It has been seven years since 14 February 2019 and on that day, Jaish-e-Mohammed carried out a terrorist attack on a CRPF convoy in Lethpora, adjacent to the saffron beds in Kashmir, to give impetus to Kashmir Jihad. 40 CRPF personnel were martyred in the attack.
Lethpora woke up the entire nation which told the political leadership that enough was enough. Now the aim is not to stop this bloody Jihadi continuing in the name of Islam, but to put a nail in its coffin forever. In a few days, Operation Bandar happened and for the first time since 1971, the Indian Air Force destroyed terrorist camps in enemy territory.
Everyone was surprised to see the new India. Those who thought that was all, saw Operation Sindoor and saw those who had the courage to hoist the green flag at the Red Fort in Delhi crying. After the Pulwama attack, a new phase of change began in Jammu and Kashmir and in the last seven years it is being drenched in the fragrance of saffron and the beauty of tulips.
Criminals now keep hiding to save themselves
The remaining criminals of Pulwama attack are now hiding to save themselves. But it was not as easy as it seems now. Although Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility soon after the attack, the suicide bomber was also identified and key terrorist commanders who played a key role in this attack in Kashmir were also being killed, but the mystery of the conspiracy was not solved.
It was not understood when and how the attack was planned. Where did the explosives come from and what were the leaders of Jaish-e-Mohammed doing at the time of the attack. Meanwhile, in March 2019, security forces killed Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist Omar Farooq alias Idris Bhai along with another local associate in a fierce encounter in Pulwama.
Samsung phone was recovered
Umar Farooq was the nephew of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar, who had infiltrated into Kashmir through Samba sector in late 2017 or early 2018. During the search of Umar Farooq's luggage, his Pakistani identity card, a Samsung S-9 Galaxy phone, a high-end model with double encryption, were found.
Jammu and Kashmir Police made every effort to decode the phone but failed and thereafter the phone was deposited in the Malkhana of Naugam Police Station. This is the same Naugam police station where a blast took place last November during the investigation of explosives recovered from Faridabad.
The phone solved the mystery
The NIA, which was investigating the Pulwama attack, was worried that it was not able to find any clue on the basis of which it could uncover the entire conspiracy. Rakesh Bhalwal, the then SSP of NIA, who was handling the investigation of the case, who is currently the DIG in Manipur, came to know that the phone of Azhar Masood's nephew was lying in the warehouse.
The phone is almost destroyed. He told the concerned authorities that there was no harm in trying and sent the call to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In). CERT-In took out the data of the phone.
The NIA found 100 videos and photos from the phone, which were deleted after being sent to Umar Farooq's uncle Maulana Mohammad Ammar through WhatsApp. The data obtained from the phone itself revealed that from the time the conspiracy was hatched till the attack was carried out, Jaish terrorists were in constant touch with Azhar Masoor, Ammar Ali and Rauf Asghar sitting in Pakistan.
Information about terrorists' training and camps found
Information about the training of terrorists and their camps was also obtained from the photographs obtained from the phone. Both Omar Farooq and Ismail, who were involved in the attack, had received training in Afghanistan and had fought against NATO forces.
The phone lying idle in the warehouse proved to be a treasure for the NIA and then layer after layer of this conspiracy was revealed. Jaish-e-Mohammed had prepared two suicide terrorists, Adil Dar and Shakir Bashir Magre, resident of Kakpora Pulwama.
Adil Dar was a resident of Gundipora, Pulwama. Shakir Magrey was to carry out the second suicide attack after the Pulwama attack, which was postponed by Jaish-e-Mohammed due to the Balakot strike. Shakir Magare's handler was Qari Yasir.
A girl named Insha Jaan had an important role
A photograph of a girl named Insha Jaan was found from Umar Farooq's mobile phone. NIA took him into custody. During interrogation, she initially refused, but when she was shown her photograph with the terrorist, she revealed many secrets. His father was also arrested.
She was not only Omar Farooq's lover but was also a female overground worker who played an important role in the conspirators of the Pulwama attack. His father was also an overground worker of JeM and terrorists often stayed in their house.
Insha Jaan told during interrogation that when and how Adil's video was shot. Shakir Ahmed Magare was caught on the basis of phone call and interrogation of Insha Jaan and her father Tariq. Other conspirators were caught on the basis of other clues received from the phone.
The car was equipped with IED
Their photographs, group photographs of terrorists involved in the attack, Eeco car being equipped with IED, Adil's video being prepared, were found. Shakir Magare had reached the highway with Adil. Shakir Magare had driven the car used in the February 14 attack, but had got down from the car about 500 meters before the attack site.
His role included purchasing gloves, batteries and ammonium powder used to assemble the IED through an e-commerce web portal. Shakir had a shop at a short distance from the place where the attack took place, from where he used to monitor the convoys of security forces.
Mudasir Ahmed Khan, who was involved in the conspiracy, had arranged for the gelatin sticks and gave them to Shakir. Shakir had stored all the explosives in his house.
Adil's video was sent across the border through WhatsApp
Suicide terror attack by Adil Dar goes viral after the attack, the video was shot about three to four days before the attack. Adil Dar was not able to speak properly. That's why Adil Dar was just moving his lips while Sameer Dar was speaking from behind. After preparing the video, it was sent to Ammar in Pakistan through WhatsApp. This video was edited in Pakistan and released after the attack.
The conspiracy was hatched in the year 2018
During the interrogation of Umar Farooq's phone and the local conspirators caught on its basis, it was revealed that preparations for the attack had started in October 2018. In January 2019, terrorist Sajjad Ahmed Butt bought a Maruti Eeco car. The car was kept in Shakir Bashir's house for a few days.
Along with this, Vaijul Islam, a student resident of Chhanpora Srinagar, ordered four kilograms of aluminum powder online from Amazon account and handed over his handle to Jaish commander Mohammad Ismail alias Saifullah. In the first week of February, Umar Farooq, Sameer Ahmed Dar, Adil Ahmed Dar and Shakir Bashir had prepared the IED and fitted it in his Eeco car.
The attack was to be carried out on 5th February and not on 14th.
Jaish-e-Mohammed had fixed February 5 for the attack. Because on February 5, Kashmir Solidarity Day is celebrated in Pakistan in support of the independence of Kashmir. But on February 5, the highway was closed due to snowfall and the attack was postponed.
Four of the culprits of the Pulwama attack, Maulana Masood Azhar, his brother Rauf Asghar and Ammar Alvi, besides Kashmiri terrorist Ashiq Ahmed Nengru are absconding. All these are in Pakistan only. The terrorists who were involved in plotting the attack, preparing explosives and carrying out the attack have been killed.
Among these, suicide bombers Adil Ahmed Dar, Sameer Dar, Mudassar Khan and Sajjad Ahmed Butt were residents of Kashmir, while four other slain terrorists were Mohammad Ismail, Mohammad Umar Farooq and
Mohammad Kamran Ali was Pakistani. Among them, both Umar Farooq and Mohammad Ismail alias Lambu were close relatives of Jaish commander Azhar Masood. The jailed Pulwama criminals include Shakir Bashir, Insha Jaan, Pir Tariq Ahmed Shah, Waiz-ul-Islam, Mohammad Abbas Rather, Bilal Ahmed Kuche and Mohammad Iqbal Rather.
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