2 J&K BJP workers arrested for staging attack on themselves for more security

Srinagar: Two BJP leaders, including the son of BJP’s district president of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara and a party spokesperson, were arrested after they allegedly planned a fake terror attack on themselves to get their security enhanced as well as to get more attention from the party leadership.

Ishfaq Ahmad Mir had sustained an injury in his hand in a firing incident that took place on Friday.

Apart from Ishfaq, the police arrested Basharat Ahmed, the BJP spokesperson from Kupwara, in connection with the "conspiracy".

Following allegations of fake attack, his father Mohammad Shafi, who was the district president of BJP in Kupwara was suspended by the party.

A police investigation into Friday's firing incident exposed a failed attempt by the BJP workers to enhance their security as well as get "more attention" from the party leadership, the Kupwara police said in a statement.

According to the sources in the police, Ishfaq had earlier described the entire incident as a terrorist attack but later during police interrogation, he admitted that the incident was an accidental bullet fired from a security guard's gun.

“Weapon of PSO went off accidentally in the car which hit the arm of BJP worker Ishfaq Mir. The other PSO fired in fear. Ishfaq got minor arm injury,” Kupwara SSP Dr GV Sundeep tweeted.

“People are requested not to spread rumours of militant attack,” he added.

An investing police officer said, "In a Bollywood-style conspiracy, they tried to prove the incident as a terrorist attack just to increase security as well as gain additional attention from the party.”

He added, “the injury was ‘stage-managed’ and the police personnel deployed for Ishfaq's security are also being questioned”.

A statement from BJP read, “The incident which took place in Kupwara on the night of 16th July in which Ishfaq Ahmad Mir, son of Mohammad Shafi, district president Kupwara, was involved. Some reports received from various sources took us to think credibility of our workers. As such party has taken this decision that Shri GM Mir state spokesperson of party will examine the whole facts of the incident and report the party by 25th July.”