Srinagar, June 15: Jammu and Kashmir Police today said three of seven policemen, arrested for allegedly helping militants, were involved in the killing of then state home minister Mushtaq Ahmad Lone during an election rally last year. Four militants and the three policemen had a meeting four days prior to Lone`s killing to chalk out a plan for it, DGP Gopal Sharma told reporters here.
During the meeting, wireless sets were distributed and codes provided for carrying out the murder. A Lashkar-e-Toiba militant, Nazir Ahmad Kaker, carried out the crime with logistics support from the others including the policemen, Sharma said.
The DGP identified the policemen who participated in the meeting as Ghulam Mohammad Peer alias Gulla Peer, Mohammad Rustum Lone and Abdul Ahad. Others present were Hilal Dar (Hizbul Mujahideen), Manzoor Ahmad and Qari Asif (both of Jasih-e-Mohammad).
He said the policemen were entrusted the task of providing information about the movement of the minister.
Sharma said the same group of persons were involved in the killing of the minister`s elder brother a few years ago.
He said police was able to crack the case following the arrest of the SHO and `munshi` of Sogam police station for their involvement in the last week`s suicide attack on Lalpora police station.
SHO Ghulam Rasool Wani and `Munshi` Abdul Ahad confessed to the crime during interrogation and on their information, five more policemen were later arrested.
Bureau Report