2 militants involved in attack identified

Tribune News Service

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Srinagar, November 29

The J&K Police achieved a breakthrough when they identified the militant duo responsible for the deadly attack on the “Back to village” programme that left panchayat member and a government officer dead on Tuesday.

Director-General of Police Dilbag Singh said the militants involved in the killing at Hakura-Anantnag had been identified as Junaid and Zubair of the Hizbul Mujahedeen.

“They will be brought to book soon,” he said.

On November 26, militants had carried out a first major attack post the abrogation of Article 370 when they targeted a gathering of officials and panchayat members who had assembled at Hakura Badasgam village in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district for a “Back-to-Village meeting”, which was launched a day before.

The attack had left a panchayat member Peer Mohammad Rafiq, and a government official Zahoor Ahmed Sheikh dead and two others injured.

Soon after the attack, the police launched an investigation in the case.

No militant group had so far owned the responsibility for the attack.

A police officer in south Kashmir said both militants identified for the attack had joined militant ranks in 2018.

“One of the militants identified in the attack Zubair Ahmed of Dehruna Anantnag had joined ranks in April 2018. The other militant Junaid Bhat of Hangulgund Anantnag had joined ranks in June 2018,” he said.

While the outreach programme has continued after the attack, the government had beefed up security around all locations where the programmes are being held. They also clubbed panchayats to ensure safety and security of the employees and the panchayat members. However, despite these beefed-up security arrangements, the fear and anxiety among officials deployed for the programme is visible.

The Phase-2 of the “Back to village” programme has been launched by the government from November 25 to November 29 across the Union Territory of J&K. The Programme is in progress in 4,300 panchayats across J&K with around 5,000 officers deputed to assess the institutionalization of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) at the grassroots level besides impact of various flagship programmes and welfare schemes which will help come up with specific interventions to make the village life better in terms of improved amenities and facilities.