Pakistan-based ultra's role suspected in Rajouri killings; also behind IED blasts in Jammu

Arjun Sharma

Jammu, January 6

Even as security agencies have no clue about the two terrorists involved in the recent killing of six persons in Rajouri, the name of a Pakistan-based terrorist, Mohammad Amin Butt, alias Khubaib (41), who is instrumental in attempts to revive terrorism in the Jammu division over the past one year, has surfaced.

Khubaib was designated as a terrorist by the Union Ministry of Home on Thursday, four days after the attack at Dhangri village in Rajouri.

Military intelligence sources said security forces were already suspicious that Khubaib might have coordinated the Rajouri attack, as he has been trying to revive terrorism in the Jammu division. “He has not only been instrumental in many IED blasts in Jammu, but was also involved in dropping arms and IEDs from drones, especially in Kathua, Samba and Jammu district, along the International Border (IB),” said the sources, adding it was “very much” likely that Khubaib coordinated the Rajouri attack.

Khubaib’s name has surfaced in many attacks, including the Udhampur IED blasts in two buses on September 28. The police had said that he was in touch with a local terrorist through social media and had ordered him to plant explosives in these buses. There were no casualties in the attack.

Army’s Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and the CRPF had in June last year busted a module run by Khubaib in Doda district by arresting an overground worker (OGW). The OGW had kept IEDs at his home that were supposed to be used in terror activities.

A sticky bomb blast in March last year at Slathia Chowk in Udhampur killed one persons and injured many others.

In what could be a coincidence, the Doda police had on December 17 last year attached the property of another Pakistan-based terrorist, Abdul Rashid, alias Jehangir, who is the one who motivated Khubaib to join armed insurgency in the late 1990s. Rashid had gone to Pakistan-occupied areas of J&K in 1993 where he was imparted arms training. He returned to his hometown Doda and was the one who motivated many youths of the area, including Khubaib. It is believed that both Khubaib and Rashid live together in a Pakistan-occupied area of J&K.

According to military intelligence, Khubaib was born in 1981 in Doda. He joined the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and went to Pakistan for training in 1997 when he was 16.

Rajouri Senior Superintendent of Police Mohammad Aslam said the police and other security forces were carrying out cordon and search operations to neutralise the culprits involved in the attack. “We have also been giving weapon training to the village defence committees,” he said.

He said villages along the Line of Control in the district were being monitored by and patrolling was being conducted in these areas.

Doda village defence squads asked to keep vigil

• In the wake of the Rajouri terror attack, the Doda district police today asked village defence committees to conduct area domination, patrolling and surveillance in their respective areas
• Members from Bhaderwah in Doda , which has significant Hindu population, were briefed on their roles and duties by police officials
• Jatinder Singh, SHO, Bhaderwah, said the members were advised to maintain a watch in their areas and inform the police if any suspicious movement was noticed. “In view of forthcoming Republic Day and other events, they have been briefed thoroughly to exercise vigil and alertness of highest order,” said the SHO
• They were also instructed to maintain close liaison with the special police pickets, Army and Central Armed Police Forces deployed in their areas
• A WhatsApp group was also created for sharing information in case of suspicious movement. OC

Designated terrorist by home ministry

Mohammad Amin Butt, alias Khubaib, was designated as a terrorist by the Union Ministry of Home on Thursday, four days after the attack at Dhangri village in Rajouri district.

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