New Delhi: Amid a war of words between the Congress and the BJP over disgraced Jammu and Kashmir DSP Davinder Singh’s alleged role in the Pulwama terror attack, authorities have clarified that Singh was moved out of Pulwama a couple of months before the strike in February on the CRPF convoy.
Police sources in the Valley told CNN-News18 that Singh was moved to the anti-hijacking unit and posted at Srinagar airport towards the end of 2018. “He was the DSP of Pulwama DAR-district armed guards. He was not a part of the Special Operations Group. At the end of 2018, he was moved out of Pulwama to the airport,” an official said. The Special Operations Group is the counter-insurgency unit of the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
Congress Leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary, had questioned the DSP’s role in the Pulwama attack and alleged that “the chink in the armour is exposed in the Valley”.
“Had #DavindarSingh by default been Davindar khan, the reaction of troll regiment of RSS would have been more strident and vociferous. Enemies of our country ought to be condemned irrespective of Colour, Creed, and Religion (sic),” he tweeted.
He also told CNN-News18 that a “fresh look” was needed on the suicide attack in Pulwama in which 44 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed in Jammu and Kashmir when a suicide bomber rammed a vehicle carrying over 100 kg of explosives into their bus.
“Full investigation is needed and if required Singh’s name should be added to the list of the accused,” Chowdhary told CNN-News18.
Government sources, however, dismissed the allegations. Top officials said the Pulwama attack was carried out by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed while Davinder was ferrying Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists.
“There is nothing to suggest any insider hand in the Pulwama case. The Pulwama attack was carried out by the JEM and was accepted by Mufti Asgar (the outfit’s launching commander) in his speech,” a source said.
“After Pulwama, India gave evidence to Pakistan and the international community. It was because of Indian evidence that Pakistan was forced to shut down some of its training centres and is struggling to come out of FATF,” an official said, referring to Pakistan being placed in the terror financing watchdog’s grey list.
The officials added that it was the “success of security apparatus that a serving Dy SP was arrested and booked on terror charges”.
Singh was arrested on Saturday after police intercepted his vehicle and found two militants – Naveed Babu alias Babar Azam, a resident of Nazneenpora in South Kashmir’s Shopian district and his associate Asif Ahmad – to Chandigarh for providing them accommodation there for a couple of months.
Five grenades were seized from the vehicle and raids at the policeman’s house later led to the recovery of one AK-47 rifle, two pistols and two grenades, besides lakh of rupees.
Naveed Babu was wanted by the police for the murder of 11 civilians, including migrant labourers, truck drivers and fruit merchants, after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August.
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Source: News18