NIA makes first arrest in 2019 Pulwama fidayeen attack

In a major breakthrough, National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested an operative of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) militant outfit in the Pulwama terror attack case in which 40 CRPF soldiers were killed on February 14, 2019.

The accused Shakir Bashir Magrey (22), a furniture shop owner, according to the national probe agency had provided logistical assistance to the suicide bomber, Adil Dar.

“A furniture shop owner, Shakir Bashir Magrey provided shelter and other logistical assistance to the suicide-bomber Adil Ahmad Dar. He was introduced to Dar in mid-2018 by a Pakistani militant Mohammad Umar Farooq and he became a full-time (overground worker) OGW of the JeM,” the NIA statement said.

It said that during his initial interrogation, he has disclosed that on several occasions, he collected and delivered arms, ammunition, cash and explosive material to the JeM militants including those involved in Pulwama attack.

The accused had harboured Dar and Farooq in his house from late 2018 till the attack in February 2019 and assisted them in the preparation of the IED, which was used in the deadly attack. “He also played a vital role in informing Umar and Dar about the movement of CRPF troops in the area. It was Magrey who had modified the Maruti Eeco car and fitted the explosives in the vehicle in early February 2019,” the NIA investigation reveals.

“During investigation, the make, model and number of the car used in the attack was quickly ascertained by 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,” it said and added the accused during his interrogation has corroborated this.

Other militants involved in the attack were Muddasir Ahmad Khan and IED expert Kamran. Both of them were killed in March 2019. The owner of the car Sajjad Ahmad Bhat and Qari Yassir, another JeM commander were also involved in the terror attack, the statement added.

Magrey was produced before the NIA Special Court at Jammu on Friday and has been remanded to 15 days of NIA custody for detailed interrogation.

40 CRPF personnel, travelling in a convoy on south Kashmir highway in Pulwama district, were killed on 14 February 2019 when Dar rammed a car loaded with explosives into the paramilitary bus at around 3.15 pm at Lethpora. The impact of the blast reduced the bus to a mangled heap.