Vehicle used in Pulwama attack identified, owner on the run: Report

NEW DELHI: The vehicle used in the Pulwama terror attack was a mini-van and its owner is on the run, the National Investigation Agency said in a statement Monday. The NIA said it has made a significant breakthrough in the probe into the suicide car bombing that killed over 40 CRPF soldiers on Jammu-Srinagar highway on February 14.

Piecing together the debris of the vehicle used by the suicide bomber, who belonged to the Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed, the NIA with the help of forensic and automobile experts have been able to identify the vehicle, the probe agency said in the statement.

A Maruti Ecco vehicle that was sold to a resident of Heaven Colony in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag in 2011 was used in the attack, the NIA said.

The mini-van subsequently exchanged hands seven times and finally reached Sajjad Bhat, a student of Siraj-ul-Uloom in Shopain, the NIA said. He has been evading arrest, the probe agency said, adding the accused reportedly joined the Jaish-e-Mohammed.