Police arrest kin of accused in Kashmiri Pandit killing, J&K admin moves to attach house of terrorist

Police recovered arms and ammunition from Wani's house, prompting the authorities to place his father and three brothers under arrest

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday arrested the father and three brothers of Adil Wani, who is accused of killing a Kashmiri Pandit in Shopian on Tuesday, besides initiating the process of attaching his property.

The police said that Wani, a categorised militant in the banned Al-Badr outfit, took shelter at his home in Kutpora, Shopian, after killing Sunil Kumar and injuring his brother Pintoo Kumar on Tuesday morning.

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After receiving specific intelligence, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Kutpora, Shopian. However, during the search, militants lobbed grenades at the search party and escaped using the cover of darkness, police said.

"During the search operation, arms and ammunition were recovered from Wani's house, prompting the authorities to place his father and three brothers under arrest, besides initiating the process of attaching their house," the police said.

Eyewitnesses and the slain victim's cousin identified Wani as being involved in the killing of Kumar.

Earlier on June 22, J&K police had attached five residential houses in Srinagar under Section 2(G) and 25 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, for being used to "willfully harbour terrorists". Under this provision, all kinds of properties can be seized that have been derived or obtained from the commission of any terrorist act or intended to be used for a terrorist act.

In the past as well, the J&K police had seized properties that were purportedly used for sheltering militants. In 2001, the house of a militant supporter was sealed under the Prevention of Terrorism Ordinance in the old city area of Srinagar.

Later in 2012, the police attached the properties of a separatist leader and a militant sympathiser for purportedly building the property using terror money and funding militants through covert channels.