Udhampur bomb blast case solved; three terrorists arrested [details]

Nearly three months after the incident, Jammu and Kashmir Police have worked out the dreaded blast case of Udhampur town in which one person was killed and several others injured.

Three terrorists, who had planned the evil design to plant a sticky bomb in ever-busy Slathia Chowk have been nabbed by the police.

On March 9 this year, terrorists triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) at Slathia Chowk in the heart of Udhampur town. One person namely Chager Kumar alias Jugal son of Kikru Ram of Dhandal Ramnagar was killed and 16 others including a child were injured. The blast occurred at 12.15 afternoon when Slathia Chowk was abuzz with visitors.

In this regard case FIR no. 97/2022 U/S 16/18/20 Un-lawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, 3/4 Explosive Substances Act, 7/27 Arms Act 1959, 307/302/121/122 IPC was registered at Police Station Udhampur and investigation of the Case was entrusted to DySP Hqrs. Udhampur Sahil Mahajan.

The suspect confessed to planting a sticky bomb

"During investigation number of suspects were questioned and finally one suspect Mohammad Ramzan Sohil son of Mohammad Ishaq Sohil resident of Halla Bohar Dhar Ramban was zeroed in", police said.

The accused confessed that he had placed a sticky bomb IED in Slathia Chowk Udhampur on 09.03.2022 under the direction of his Pakistani handler Mohammad Amin alias Khubaib son of Dawood Butt resident of Kathawa Thathri, Doda (at present living in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir).

"His father Mohammad Ishaq Sohil was a trained terrorist of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and was neutralized in the year 2003", police said.

Ramzan was in contact with Pakistani handler Khubaib through social media. He was instructed to fix one sticky Bomb IED at Slathia Chowk and the other to be placed at some safer place for future use. On his disclosure, another sticky bomb IED has been recovered from the same place.

Received Rs 30,000 to plant a bomb

Ramzan received an amount of Rs 30000 in his J&K bank account on March 23, 2022, for the blast he carried out at Udhampur as promised by the handler Khubaib of LeT.

The said amount was deposited in the account of Ramzan by Khurshed Ahmed son of Mohammad Abdullah Padder resident of Motla Dessa, Doda under the direction of LeT group handler Khubaib.

Khurshed was also arrested in the said case. Khurshed's brother-in-law namely Bilal Ahmed Butt is a trained terrorist of the LeT group operating in Pakistan for LeT since 2002. Khurshed is handling the monetary channel of Khubaib.

The third accused Nisar Ahmed Khan son of late Ghulam Mohammad Khan resident of Dhani Bhaderwah was a trained terrorist and remain active in the belt of Doda district during the year 2001 to 2006 with LeT.

Terrorists picked up a bomb from Jammu city

According to police on the directions of Khubaib, Mohammad Ramzan Sohail picked up the sticky bomb IEDs twice, one in December 2021 and another in January 2022 from Belicharana, Jammu, the location and the picture of the same were sent to him on his suspicious application. On his disclosure, one sticky bomb IED was recovered from Kursari village in the forest area of Bhaderwah, Doda District.

"The investigation of the said case is going on and more arrests are expected in near future", police said.