Reasi bus attack: J&K Police arrest terror operative who helped three Pak terrorists

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday arrested a terror operative who provided food and shelter to three Pakistani terrorists and took them to the site of attack where they sprayed bullets on a bus killing nine pilgrims and injuring 42 others on June 9, said officials.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday arrested a terror operative who provided food and shelter to three Pakistani terrorists and took them to the site of attack where they sprayed bullets on a bus killing nine pilgrims and injuring 42 others on June 9, said officials.

ammu and Kashmir's Reasi Police has arrested a man named Hakam Din, who was involved in the Reasi terror attack case, on Wednesday. As per the police, he worked for the terrorists as guide and gave them shelter. (ANI)

The terror operative was identified as Hakam Din, 45, son of MA Khan, a resident of Bandhrahi near Saida Nullah in Rajouri district.

Reasi and Rajouri district share their boundary with each other.

Reasi district police chief SSP Mohita Sharma said, “We have formally arrested Hakamdin. He is not the mastermind but played an important role in the attack.”

On June 9 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers took oath, armed terrorists sprayed bullets on a pilgrims’ bus in Pouni area of Reasi, killing nine and injuring 42 others.

“Hakam Din acted as their guide. He thrice provided food and shelter to the three Pakistani terrorists. He also guided them to the spot where terror attack was carried out,” said the SSP.

The Reasi police have so far detained 150 people for questioning.

“Yes, the three attackers are all Pakistanis. During interrogation, Hakam Din told us three times the terrorists had come to his place, had food and shelter. Even a day before the attack, the terrorists had stayed at the house of Hakam Din and took food there,” she said.

“Hakam Din guided these terrorists to the spot of attack by taking the route of dense forest, a cross-country route,” she added.

The SSP informed that Hakam Din knew that an attack had been planned.

“It is also suspected that after the attack, Hakam Din also managed their escape but for now it would be premature for us to draw the conclusion. He is being subjected to questioning and we anticipate more disclosures,” she said.

The police officer informed that the terrorists relied upon their modus operandi of using forests.

“They came through and escaped via jungles. They had come from jungles of Rajouri and escaped back with the help of Hakam Din,” she said.

Soon after the attack Reasi police registered a case FIR number- 31/2024 under sections 302, 307 of the IPC, 7/27 Arms Act, 16,18, 20 of UAPA at Pouni police station.

The bus was returning from Shiv Khori and was on its way to Katra.

It may be stated that the Union home ministry has handed over the case to the National Investigation Agency.

Starting June 9, when the Prime Minister and his council of ministers took oath, Jammu region had been rattled by four back-to-back terror attacks in as many days.

The attacks in Reasi, Doda and Kathua districts left nine civilians and a CRPF jawan dead besides 49 others, including seven security personnel, injured. The security forces had also killed two terrorists in Kathua.