Jaish-e-Mohammed Chief Masood Azhar’s relative behind failed Pulwama car bomb attack

Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have found that Mohd Ismail Alvi, a member of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), had plotted the major attack Pulwama that was averted on Wednesday night. The investigators found that Ismail is allegedly a bomb maker and also a relative of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.

On Wednesday, night a major attack was averted when the police in Kashmir’s Pulwama intercepted a vehicle moving about with 30 to 40 kg explosives in it.

The local police got tipped off last night about a terrorist moving around with an explosives laden car ready to blast at some location. It then sent out search parties in search of the vehicle, a Santro car. When traced a few rounds were fired and soon after the owners of the vehicle abandoned it and escaped.

The owner of car has been identified as Hidayatullah Malik, a resident of Shopian. His interrogation is on.

The explosive was kept in a blue drum inside the car. A bomb disposal squad reached the spot on Thursday morning. People were asked to move away from the vicinity. The bomb disposal squad then instead of diffusing the explosive, exploded the vehicle.

The probe had revealed that the Santro car had a number plate of a two- wheeler, which was registered in the name of a resident of Jammu’s Kathua.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police said: “A major incident of a vehicle borne IED blast is averted by the timely input and action by Pulwama Police, CRPF and the Army.”

Sources said that Ismail name cropped up recently in the probe carried out by National Investigation Agency in February 14, 2019 Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.