Reasi terror attack: J&K Police makes first arrest, says accused Hakim provided logistics to terrorists

“One Hakimdeen has confessed that he helped the terrorists as a guide and also helped them find shelter. He also said that he was present at the attack site and also heard gunshots. After the attack, he led the terrorists out of the area. On different occasions, the terrorists visited his residence,” Reasi SSP Mohita Sharma said.

“One day before the incident the terrorists stayed at his residence. He mentions about three terrorists. During recee of the site, he made sure that no CCTVs could capture him or the terrorists. He was given Rs 6000 for this help by terrorists. We will not stop until those terrorists are either arrested or neutralised,” the police official added.

Nine people lost their lives and 33 others were injured after a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori cave shrine to Katra in Reasi district fell into a gorge after it came under terrorist attack in Teryath village in Pouni area on June 9.

On June 17, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) handed over the terror attack case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The decision was taken during a high-level meeting chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah, who had directed the security forces and intelligence agencies to “replicate the successes achieved in Kashmir valley against terrorism” in the Jammu region.

A day after the attack, a team from the NIA had also visited the spot to support local police and evaluate the ground situation. The NIA's forensic team had also visited the site, contributing to the collection of evidence.

On the day of terror attack, Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Toiba's front TRF took responsibility for the terror attack in a bid to portray that the targeting of pilgrims was carried out by terrorists in J&K and not by Islamists based in Lahore.

HT learnt that the June 9 terror attack was carried out deliberately at Reasi during the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. At least12 terrorists were moving inside the Rajouri-Poonch forests in the groups of three or two in the Jammu region.