No record to suggest that some Sri Lanka bombers visited Kashmir: Officials
Jammu and Kashmir Police chief Dilbag Singh Sunday said there was no record to suggest that any of the suicide bombers, who carried out the Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, had visited Kashmir.
“We have checked and there is no information about them having visited here,” Mr Singh said, adding immigration records were re-visited after the terrorist attacks and none of the bombers had visited Kashmir.
After Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, Commander of the Army, claimed in an interview to the BBC that “they (the suspects) have gone to India, they’ve gone to Kashmir, Bangalore, they’ve travelled to Kerala state. Those are the information available with us,” India’s immigration authorities verified the records of Sri Lankan nationals who visited Kashmir but drew a blank.
“We have verified the records of Sri Lankan nationals who visited Kashmir but none of them was found to be involved in the incident. The record which was verified by us was from last year to April 21, when the blasts took place,” a senior government official said on condition of anonymity as reported by ET.
“Only a group of tourists from Sri Lanka had visited Jammu and Kashmir recently but they had no links to the incident (serial bombings). We have asked the Sri Lankan authorities to provide us more details. It is possible that the suspects may have visited under pseudonyms or on fake passports.”
Indian authorities have so far only confirmed that Zahran Hashim, the ring leader of suicide bombers, had visited southern parts of India.
“It is possible that some of the suspects may have visited southern parts of India, but we have no information so far regarding their visit to Jammu and Kashmir. An Islamic State inspired module, ISJK, is active in the Valley and it is trying to expand its footprint beyond J&K,” said a senior home ministry official.
Nine suicide bombers, including a woman, had carried out the series of blasts in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday on April 21 in three churches and three luxury hotels killed 253 people and injured over 500 others.
