In a major breakthrough in the killings of BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet Parihar in Kishtwar last week, the police have arrested four key suspects who allegedly plotted the assassination and chose the killers.
Police sources told Kashmir Post that the arrest of the suspects from Kulgam would help solve the case, including the conspiracy angle. The Parihar brothers were gunned down in Kishtwar on November 1 night.
“We cannot divulge all details at the moment due to the sensitive nature of the case,” a senior police officer associated with the investigation told Kashmir Post on the condition of anonymity.
He also confirmed that there were links between the conspirators and terrorists based in the Kashmir valley and the Kishtwar-Doda belt of the Jammu region.
The senior police officer said the arrested persons, including a government employee who was part of the plot, were being subjected to sustained interrogation.
The interrogation is being conducted by the special investigation team (SIT), which was constituted on November 2 to probe the killings. The SIT is headed by Assistant Superintendent of Police Parbheet Parihar.
Highly placed sources said over 12 suspects were earlier picked up by the police for questioning from different areas of Kishtwar. “After intense questioning of the suspects, the police arrested four persons from Kulgam,” a source said, adding that the case would be hopefully cracked soon.
Following the killings, an indefinite curfew was imposed in parts of Kishtwar and Doda districts on November 1. Governor Satya Pal Malik had on November 5 confirmed that it was a terror attack and the killers had been identified.
Main conspirators
- BJP leader Anil Parihar and his brother Ajeet were gunned down in Kishtwar on November 1 night
- As many as 12 suspects were earlier picked up by the police for questioning from different areas of Kishtwar
- After questioning of the suspects, the police arrested four persons from Kulgam. They allegedly plotted the assassination and chose the killers
