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Pulwama attacker suspected to have used red Eeco car for blast, was warned to stay away from CRPF convoy
Pakistan-based terrorists Rashid Ghazi and Kamran are believed to be the main Jaish operatives responsible for the terror attack
Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist Adil Ahmad who rammed his vehicle into the 78-bus convoy of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) is likely to have used a red colour Eeco car for the blast.
As per eye witness accounts, a man in a red Eeco van was repeatedly seen near the convoy. The four escorts in bus number three had reportedly told him at least twice or thrice to move away from the convoy but he kept swerving right and left. As per sources, he spent a minute or two trying to hit the convoy before he was finally successful in his ill-intentions and slammed the bus killing 40 personnel. He is believed to have been tailing the convoy from Jammu.
Pakistan-based terrorists Rashid Ghazi and Kamran are likely to be the main Jaish operatives responsible for the terror attack. Both the terrorists are believed to be in and around Tral and may have conspired and trained Adil for the attack.
Ghazi is said to have fought in Afghanistan and was handpicked by Jaish head Masood Azhar to avenge the killing of his nephews. An IED expert, Ghazi is believed to have been sent for the purpose of training locals.
The attack took place on Thursday when CRPF's 76th Battalion was returning from leave to join duty in Srinagar.
A report by news agency IANS quotes CRPF sources as saying that it is uncommon for the CRPF to send a convoy of 78 vehicles (16 were added when it reached Qazigund, around 2.15 pm) through almost deserted streets. From the point of view of security, it was thought to be a perfect setting as there had been virtually no traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar Highway because of bad weather over the last few days.
The bus ride began from Jammu at 2.33 am. As the convoy reached Lethpora, just 27 km short of Srinagar, an explosive-laden car rammed into the fifth bus from the left side. A second bus was also hit in the blast. Gunshots were heard in the area, but no one knew as to who fired.
A CRPF man, who was traveling in the convoy, said the massive blast stunned all. "There was total mayhem and confusion -- all I could see was thick smoke. We were told to stay back in our vehicles as ROP was in place," a CRPF trooper said. "We got to know about the deadly blast when I received a WhatsApp message. As we got down we saw the mayhem - badly mutilated and burnt limbs of our colleagues and a smouldering fire. We were taken immediately to a nearby camp," he said.