Police forms SIT to probe Amarnath attack, manhunt launched for Abu Ismail

Jammu and Kashmir police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for a time bound investigation into Monday’s attack on Amarnath Yatra pilgrims.

The SIT headed by deputy inspector general (South Kashmir) SP Pani, also has a an SP rank officer and two DSPs.

According to official sources, the SIT, besides having launched a massive hunt to track down Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander and Pakistani national Abu Ismail — whose name has come up in connection with the attack — the team will probe it from “all angles’’.

Police is following intelligence leads regarding Ismail’s associates, hideouts used, the communication intercepts.

Kashmir Range Inspector General , Muneer Khan had told HT that “initial investigations have pointed to the role of the Pakistani LeT militant Abu Ismail in the attack’’.

Two local militants are also believed to be part of the team.

The banned militant organisation however had denied any role in the attack calling it, “against islamic teachings”.

“We will follow leads like in the case of killing of an SHO and five police men where the mastermind Bashir Laskhari was killed after gathering conclusive evidence against him,’’ said an official.

While not much is known about the militant, sources say Ismail (30) has been active in Kashmir for many years. Surprisingly, he did not figure in the list of 12 militants released by the army in June.

Another Pakistani militant, LeT operative commander Abu Dujana had figured in the list of suspects behind the attack.