A year after the Pulwama terror attack, the NIA on Friday claimed to have achieved a major breakthrough in the case by arresting an accused Shakir Bashir Magrey, an Over-Ground Worker of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
Magrey, 22, is a resident of Hajibal, Kakapora, Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir.
“A furniture shop owner, Shakir Bashir Magrey provided shelter and other logistical assistance to the Pulwama suicide-bomber Adil Ahmad Dar. He was introduced to Adil Ahmad Dar in mid-2018 by a Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq and he became a full-time OGW of JeM,” the NIA said in a statement.
During his initial interrogation, Magrey has disclosed that on several occasions, he collected and delivered arms, ammunition, cash and explosive material to the JeM terrorists including those involved in the Pulwama attack, the agency said.
Magrey has further revealed that he had harboured Adil Ahmad Dar and Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq in his house from late 2018 till the attack in February 2019 and assisted them in the preparation of the IED, the NIA said. His shop is located near Lethpora bridge, and as advised by Mohammad Umar, he started conducting reconnaissance of the movement of CRPF convoy on Jammu-Srinagar Highway in January 2019, and informed Mohammad Umar and Adil Ahmad Dar about it. Further, he was also involved in modifying the Maruti Eeco car and fitting the IED early in February, 2019.
The Pulwama attack was carried out on February 14 last year by JeM taking a toll of 40 CRPF personnel.
During investigation, the make, model and number of the car used in the attack was ascertained by the NIA to be a Maruti Eeco car through forensic examination of the tiny remnants of the car, which were seized from the spot during extended searches.
The details of the car used for the suicide bombing corroborated by Magrey. The explosives used in the attack were determined to be Ammonium Nitrate, Nitro-Glycerin and RDX through forensic investigation, the agency said.
Investigation has also confirmed the identity of the suicide bomber to be Adil Ahmad Dar through DNA matching with that of his father. Other key terrorists involved in the attack have been found to be Muddasir Ahmad Khan (JeM’s Divisional Commander of South Kashmir killed in an operation by security forces on March 11, 2019), Pakistani terrorists Muhammad Umar Farooq and IED expert Kamran, (both killed on March 29, 2019), the owner of the car Sajjad Ahmad Bhat, resident of Marhama, Anantnag (killed on June 16, 2019) and Qari Yassir, JeM’s Commander for Kashmir (killed on January 25, 2020).
Magrey was produced before the NIA Special Court at Jammu on Friday and remanded to 15-day NIA custody for his detailed interrogation.
