The Government Railway Police (GRP) Jammu has arrested a man who had been evading arrest for 35 years in connection with the 1991 Jammu railway station bomb blast, which killed three people and injured 18 others.
The accused, Altaf Hussain Sheikh, a resident of Bijbehara in Anantnag, was arrested on Thursday after an extensive search. Police said he had gone underground following the blast and had allegedly been living for decades under a concealed identity.
The bomb blast took place on April 2, 1991, at Platform No. 1 of Jammu railway station. Three people, including two paramilitary personnel, were killed, while 18 civilians were injured.
Police said Sheikh and several accomplices were allegedly involved in the attack. One accused, Aman Ullah Khan, was arrested on the day of the blast, while three others managed to escape and were subsequently declared absconders by a court.
Sheikh has been booked under provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA), the Explosive Substances Act and other relevant sections of the erstwhile Ranbir Penal Code at the GRP Jammu police station.
According to GRP officials, investigators intensified their efforts to trace Sheikh over the past two years. The search eventually led police to discover that he had allegedly been living under a false identity and had established himself as a businessman.
The arrest marks a significant development in a case that had remained unresolved for more than three decades. Police said further investigation is underway to establish the full details of Sheikh’s role and identify any other individuals connected to the blast.
