Security agencies have identified Pakistani terrorist Mohd Ismail Alvi as the fabricator of the explosive laden vehicle which was challenged on Thursday, 28 May morning in Pulwama of South Kashmir and later detonated by the Bomb Disposal Squad averting a major terror attack in the valley.
The Quint has exclusively obtained a photograph of Alivi (left of Asghar) with Abdul Rauf Asghar (Centre) at an undated rally of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.
Asghar is the brother of Maulana Masood Azhar and Operations Chief of the terror outfit.
Alvi, who is also known by different other names including Lamboo, Fauji bhai, Adnan and Jabbar, is believed to be the present Commander of the designated Pakistani terror outfit Jaish-e-Muhammad in the Kashmir valley.
Security Forces had averted a major incident of a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Pulwama on Thursday morning after an explosive-laden vehicle was intercepted.
“It was an outstanding preventive operation based on human intelligence provided by Pulwama Police and timely joint action of Police, Army and CRPF. I congratulate JKP, CRPF and Army for this operation. Pulwama Police is investigating this case and we are heading in the right direction,” Inspector General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told The Quint.
Alvi, who is also the prime accused on the run in the Pulwama terror attack on 14 February, 2019 which killed 40 CRPF personnel in Lethpora of Pulwama, hails from Bhawalpur in Pakistan’s Punjab and is believed to be a close relative of Pakistan based Chief of Jaish-e-Muhammad Maulana Masood Azhar.
Sources indicate, Alvi had infiltrated into India in early 2019 just before the Pulwama suicide bombing which led to India retaliate through air strike at Balakot terror training camp, deep inside Pakistan and a further diplomatic standoff between New Delhi and Islamabad.
Intelligence inputs earlier had indicated a suicide bombing being planned by Jaish e Muhammad around Eid in South Kashmir to target security forces.
National Investigation Agency (NIA) which has been investigating the Pulwama terror attack case, after recent arrests in the case has gained access to crucial leads establishing the chain of how explosives were procured for the Pulwama terror attack.
Sources within the security establishment say “Alvi had also fabricated IED used in the Pulwama terror attack in 2019.”
“While ammonium nitrate was procured locally, RDX was smuggled from across the border in Pakistan,” sources investigating the matter in NIA indicate.
While he remains absconding, he is believed to be active in Pulwama and neighbouring areas of South Kashmir.
“He is known popularly as Lamboo locally as his height is 6 feet 5 inches,” they say. Security officers probing the matter indicate that Ammonium Nitrate could have been used in the latest IED as well looking at the intensity of the controlled blast.
“Present blast had Gelatin sticks with ammonium nitrate and traces of RDX,” they say.
Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir Police has also identified the owner of the vehicle which was used to make the 40 kgs of IED explosives.
“The said car belonged to Hidayatullah Malik of Shopian who was earlier an active Over Ground Worker of Jaish e Muhammad and later joined Hizbul Mujahideen on the advice of Hizbul Commander Naveed who was arrested along with J&K Police DSP Devender Singh. He has been active in Shopian since July 2019,” IGP Kashmir Vijay Kumar told this journalist.
Even as security forces say they are prepared to deal with the terror threat in the ‘hot summer’ of 2020, a massive manhunt has been launched across South Kashmir to neutralise Mohd Ismail Alvi.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)