NIA takes custody of five terrorists who helped Pak commander escape

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken the custody of five terrorists and overground workers who facilitated the escape of Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba militant commander Mohammad Naveed Jatt alias Haznullah from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital on February 6.

A Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Srinagar, on Thursday granted a transit remand of two days to NIA for the five accused --Shakeel Ahmed Bhat, Tika Khan, Syed Tajamul Islam, Mohommad Shafi Wani and Jan Mohommad Ganai.

The five accused will be produced before the NIA Special Court at Jammu on Friday for seeking police custody. On Monday, NIA had formally taken over the case from Jammu and Kashmir police.

Jatt, who had confessed to have met the 26/11 attacker Ajmal Kasab in the training camp in Pakistan, escaped from Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital after his associates shot dead two policemen accompanying him for medical checkup and investigations on February 6..

Later Jammu and Kashmir government suspended Superintendent of Srinagar Central Jail Hilal Ahmad Rather. Police later arrested four terrorists and over ground workers (OGW) who helped LeT commander Naveed Jatt to flee from the hospital.

Meanwhile, rattled by the escape of Jatt, Jammu and Kashmir police has gone into an overdrive to beef up the security of the jails in the restive state. From treating militants at police hospital to deploying CRPF at sensitive places in the jails, police have taken host of measures to strengthen the prison security in Jammu and Kashmir.

After taking over, New Director General of police, prisons, Dilbag Singh paid a surprise visit to District Jail Kathua and Sub Jail Hiranagar to review the security. A police spokesman said Singh had an in-depth review of the inner apartments and outer areas of both the jails.

"CRPF deployed in the Jail has been asked to take up additional points where deployment is very much required," said the spokesman.