Pulwama attack: Probe on to trace source of explosives

NEW DELHI, Feb 19, 2019, The Hindu. Forensic experts are analysing the chemical signature from the high-grade RDX used in the car-borne suicide attack on a CRPF bus in Pulwama last week in order to trace its source, a senior government official said, reported The Hindu.

The probe into the attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel, is likely to be handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said on Monday.

Two teams, one from the NIA and the other from the National Security Guard (NSG ), are camping at the attack site for investigation. Samples from the site have already been sent to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) to ascertain the exact composition of the chemicals in the explosive, the official added.

The Centre is also worried by reports of attacks on Kashmiri students and residents in other parts of the country in the wake of the Pulwama bombing as it could lead to alienation and also abet radicalisation among people in the Valley, the official said.

The prospect of Kashmiri students fleeing to the Valley fitted well with Pakistan’s policy of pitting Kashmiris against the rest of the country, the official added.

‘Playing into Pak. hands’

“We will be playing into the hands of Pakistan’s designs if the verbal and physical attacks are not checked,” the official cautioned. “They want Kashmiris to be isolated and fan anti-India sentiments in the Valley.”

The official said radicalisation was a major concern in the Valley and the fact that Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad had recruited a local youth, Adil Ahmed Dar, to carry out the suicide strike was extremely disturbing. “There is only one other case of a local Kashmiri youth carrying out a suicide bombing near Badami Bagh cantonment in Srinagar almost 20 years ago. The fidayeens always came from Pakistan. We are investigating the exact sequence of events how the attack was planned,” the official added.

On Sunday, apprehending physical and verbal attacks from frenzied mobs, about 100 Kashmiri students from various colleges across north India, mostly from Dehradun in Uttarakhand, returned to the Valley.

Another 100 students from Dehradun reached Chandigarh on Monday and arrangements were being made to send them to Jammu and then to Srinagar, Nasir Khuehami of the J&K Student Organisation said.