NIA solves mystery behind Pulwama suicide bomber video, arrests father-daughter duo

Srinagar: National Investigation Agency (NIA) has solved the mystery behind the last video of 21-year-old Jaish-e-Mohammad suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar after they arrested a father-daughter duo whose house was used for recording the statement before he rammed his Ecco car into the CRPF convoy on 14 February last year.

More than 40 CRPF soldiers were killed and many others injured when Dar, alias Vikas, rammed his explosive-laden vehicle into the CRPF convoy sparking anger across the country. In retaliation, the Indian Air Force crossed the LoC and bombed terror camps in Balakote on 27 February.

A year on, the NIA has arrested a father-daughter duo who had provided shelter and other logistical support to suicide-bomber Adil Ahmad Dar and Pakistani militant Mohammad Umar Farooq who had designed Improvised Explosive Device (IED) for the Pulwama attack. The duo has been identified as Tariq Ahmed Shah, 50, and his daughter Insha Jan, 23. Shah, according to the NIA, works as a tipper-truck driver in south Kashmir.

“Shah’s house was used by the terrorists for preparing and recording video of fidayeen Adil Ahmed Dar, which was released by Jaish-e-Mohammad soon after the Pulwama attack,” said an NIA spokesman.

Emulating global jihadist organisations, Dar of Kakpora in south Kashmir's Pulwama district, recorded a video before ramming his vehicle into the CRPF convoy. "When you receive this video I would be enjoying the paradise of the almighty Allah in the hereafter. Oh Kashmiri people, salute to you that despite seeing the lakhs of dead bodies, you did not lose heart," said Adil in a 10.10-minute video which was released by Jaish minutes after he blew himself up.

Earlier, there were reports that the video might have been shot across the LoC and released by Jaish handler in Pakistan. However, after a year the NIA discovered that the video was recorded in Shah’s Pulwama house and released shortly after the Pulwama attack last year.

"We have given you deep wounds in the past. From IC 814 to the Parliament attack to Badami Bagh attack to Tangdhar and Nagrota to Pulwama police lines attack. There are so many nightmares which will continue to give sleepless nights," said Adil referring to terror attacks of the past.

Dar was the second local Kashmiri suicide bomber to blow himself up inflicting casualties on the security forces. Aafaq Shah of Srinagar was the first suicide bomber who detonated an explosive-laden vehicle outside the Army’s 15 Corps headquarters at Badami Bagh Srinagar in 2000.

“During initial interrogation, accused Tariq Ahmed Shah disclosed that his house at Hakripora, Pulwama was used by Adil Ahmed Dar, Pakistani militant Mohammad Umar Farooq who assembled the IED, Kamran, another Pakistani militant, Sameer Ahmed Dar, and Mohommad Ismail alias Ibrahim alias Adnan, a Pakistani terrorist,” said the NIA spokesman in a statement.

Insha Jan, according to the NIA spokesman, facilitated the terrorists at their home and provided food and other logistics during their stay on more than 15 occasions for two to four days each, in their house during 2018-2019.

“Initial interrogation has revealed that Insha Jan was in constant touch with Mohammad Umar Farooq, Pakistani IED maker, and was in communication with him over the telephone and other social media applications,” he said, adding forensic tests have proved that ammonium nitrate, nitroglycerin, and RDX were used in the explosion. “Suicide bomber’s DNA also matched with that of his father,” he said.

This is the second major breakthrough in the Pulwama attack in the past six days. On Friday, the NIA arrested a key over-ground worker (OGW) Shakir Bashir Magray, who had provided shelter and logistical support to Adil Ahmad Dar.

The prime accused in the attack, Muddasir Ahmad Khan, JeM’s divisional commander for south Kashmir, was killed by security forces in an operation on 11 March 2019. Two Pakistani terrorists, including Muhammad Umar Farooq and IED expert Kamran, were killed on 29 March last year. The owner of the car, Sajjad Ahmad Bhat, was killed on 16 June last year while Qari Yassir, JeM’s commander for Kashmir, was killed on 25 January 2020.