Jammu: Bilal Ahmad Kuchay, who was allegedly involved in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, died at a government hospital in J&K’s Jammu city, informed officials here on Tuesday.
Officials said Bilal was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu after complaining of chest pain in Kishtwar district jail, where he was lodged after his arrest. Kuchay was a resident of Kakapora in Pulwama district.
“Late last night, he passed away in the Government Medical College Hospital (Jammu) due to heart failure, according to the doctors attending to him,” the officials said.
It must be recalled that the terror attack occurred in the Lethpora area of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway (in the Pulwama district) on February 14, 2019, in which 40 CRPF troopers were killed.
The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, Adil Ahmad Dar, who rammed his explosive-laden car into the CRPF convoy at Lethpora.
Kuchay, one of the three main accused in the terror attack, was arrested in 2020 for providing support to the attackers. His role was significant in the planning and execution of the attack.
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The perpetrator of the attack, Dar, who was a local Kashmiri youth from the Pulwama district, also died in the attack. The responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist group, Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), known for its anti-India activities and close ties with Pakistani intelligence agencies.
India blamed Pakistan for the attack, while the latter denied having any connections to it.
The attack led to the 2019 India-Pakistan military standoff. In a show of strength and determination, the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes, targeting terrorist camps and training centres deep inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Investigations identified 19 accused in the Pulwama terror attack case. By August 2021, the main accused, along with six others, were killed, and seven had been arrested.
India observes the anniversary of the martyred CRPF troopers each year with utmost solemnity. The paramilitary forces and police renew their pledge to guard the hinterland against forces inimical to peace and tranquillity in J&K.
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–IANS
