J&K police issues alert for two suspects in Poonch blast

Srinagar, Jul 13: Jammu and Kashmir Police has issued an alert for two persons accused in an IED blast in Poonch district after they escaped from custody soon after their arrest, by stirring passions of local residents.

A police team headed by SHO Gursai police station in Poonch, Inspector Sadakat Hussain had managed to arrest two persons involved in an IED blast from Ikhwan Chowk yesterday, police sources said. The sources said while Irfan Ahmad Kakad, a resident of Poonch was arrested from downtown, the team had raided the rented residence of Abdul Majeed Ganaie at Batamaloo.

Ganaie was not present at his residence but the police team got a tip off about his presence at Ikhwan chowk, where he was picked up, the sources said. Kakad was allegedly involved in a IED explosion that took place in the office of the Naib Tehsildar in Balakote area of Poonch on June 25.

He had told reporters that the IED was supplied to him by Ganaie. Sources said as the vehicle carrying the police team and the accused was stuck in a traffic snarl near M A Link Road, one of the accused shouted for help claiming he was being kidnapped.

The passersby surrounded the vehicle and beat up the police team, who were not in uniform, giving the accused persons a chance to flee, the sources said.

Three policemen including the SHO were injured as the mob smashed window panes of their vehicle. Police has issued an alert to track down the accused who managed to escape from police custody, the sources added.

A police spokesman while confirming the incident said investigations are going on.

PTI