Sunday Market Grenade attack
SUMIT SHARMA
Jammu: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), on probe into Srinagar’s Sunday Market Grenade attack which took place on November 3, last year claiming a woman’s life and left eleven others injured, Friday reached at Jammu’s Central Jail at Kot Bhalwal and took the fingerprints of the three Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists lodged in the jail.
“A NIA team headed by DySP AshishJindal(AIO) accompanied by Magistrate Mohan Singh visited Central Jail Kot Bhalwal to obtain fingerprints/ investigation in case ( Rc-01/2025/NIA Jammu, U/s 109 /115 (2) BNSS & U/s 3&4 of explosive substance Act) against accused lodged in the jail”, official sources said.
The trio LeT terrorists responsible for the attack and are lodged in Central Jail Kot Bhalwal have been identified as Usama Yaseen Sheikh son of Mohammad Yaseen Sheikh, Umar Fayaz Sheikh son of Fayaz Ahmad Sheikh, both residents of Ikhrajpora, Srinagar and Afnan Mansoor Naik son of Manzoor Ahmad Naik resident of Watoo, currently residing in Ikhrajpora, Srinagar.
Trio terrorists hurled hand grenade at the Sunday market near Radio Kashmir crossing adjacent to the Football Ground which led to death of one person and injuries to 12 other persons.
Abida, 45, who was among those injured, succumbed to injuries at the SMHS hospital the other day. She was a resident of the Naidkhai area of Bandipora district in north Kashmir.
The terrorists hurled the grenade at the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) bunker near the Radio Station. However, the grenade missed the intended target and landed on the roadside.
The blast took place close to the weekly flea market, popularly known as the Sunday market, which is thronged by thousands. The explosion caused panic in the area and sent shoppers scrambling for cover.
Following the incident, the Jammu and Kashmir Police arrested three terror associates of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in connection with the grenade attack.The case was later handed over to the NIA for probe.
“The trio terrorists, now in jail , were found to have provided planning and logistical support, including reconnaissance. “Usama Sheikh, an over-ground worker (OGW) with a history of involvement in terrorism-related activities, executed the grenade attack”, they said.
Police said Usama Sheikh had been previously arrested in 2018 in connection with a case registered at Nowhatta and had been lodged at Central Jail, Srinagar, for several months before being released on bail.
