Fugitive in 1991 Jammu Tawi blast arrested after 35-year hunt
JAMMU: The Government Railway Police (GRP) in Jammu has arrested Altaf Hussain Sheikh, a man wanted in connection with the April 1991 explosion at Jammu Tawi railway station that killed three people and injured 18. The arrest, made on Thursday, brings an end to a 35-year search for one of the three absconding accused in the case.
According to a GRP spokesperson, Sheikh was apprehended after a sustained two-year effort by the force. He had been living under a false identity and had established himself as a successful businessman in his native Bijbehara area of south Kashmir's Anantnag district. The spokesperson said the team verified his residential details and other particulars before making the arrest.
The blast occurred on April 2, 1991, when a powerful explosion ripped through the Jammu Tawi railway station, causing casualties and leaving many injured. A case was registered, and four people were identified as accused. One of them, Aman Ullah Khan, was caught at the spot, while Sheikh and two others managed to flee. The accused were charged under the stringent Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), the Explosive Substances Act, and the Ranbir Penal Code.
After the accused went underground, the court declared them 'absconders'. Over the years, the case remained open, and the GRP continued to pursue leads. In the past two years, the GRP Jammu intensified its efforts to trace the trio. This led to the identification and arrest of Sheikh on Thursday. He was produced before the TADA court for further legal proceedings, the spokesperson added.
The other two absconding accused are still at large. The investigation into their whereabouts continues.
The arrest of Sheikh highlights the persistence of law enforcement agencies in pursuing decades-old cases. It also raises questions about how an individual could evade detection for more than three decades despite being declared an absconder by a court. The case also serves as a reminder of the stringent anti-terror laws that were in place in the early 1990s, when TADA was used to prosecute those accused of terrorist activities.
Further details of Sheikh's arrest, including the circumstances of his capture and any new evidence, are awaited. The TADA court will take up the matter in the coming days.
