The Kashmir police on Saturday said it had arrested three persons involved in the murder of the prominent cleric and moderate separatist leader, Maulana Showkat Ahmed Shah, whereas the man who, along with a former militant commander, plotted the killing is currently in detention at Central Jail, Srinagar.
That the murder case was cracked in a week and the alleged assassins arrested was disclosed first by chief minister Omar Abdullah, who at 4.45 pm tweeted, “J&K police cracks the Maulana Showkat murder case. Arrests made.”
Soon, IGP (Kashmir range) Shiv Murari Sahai, at a hurriedly called press conference, said the three persons arrested included Abdul Gani Dar, alias Abdullah Gazali, a former commander of the Tehrik-ul-Mujahideen, a militant outfit which in the heyday of militancy openly owed allegiance to the J&K Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadith.