26-04-2025
3 grilled over resemblance to Pahalgam attack suspects
Patna: Three youths in Patna were picked up by police for interrogation after the faces of two of them were found to resemble sketches of terrorists involved in the
Pahalgam attack
in Kashmir. Locals alerted Kotwali police station after spotting two people near the Dak Bungalow area on Friday who appeared similar to those in the circulated sketches.
Upon receiving the information late at night, police mobilised three teams to locate the suspects. A search operation was carried out across several locations, including Patna Junction, Dak Bungalow Crossing, Hotel Gali and Fraser Road. After five hours of raids, officers detained three people from an apartment on Fraser Road. Subsequent investigation revealed that all three were clothing merchants from Darbhanga district.
Rajan Kumar, SHO of Kotwali police station, said, "We received information from local sources that two people resembling the sketches of the Pahalgam attackers were roaming near Dak Bungalow. The police searched for them and picked them up from an apartment. After questioning, the police released them."
According to police, two people had been seen photographing the area near Dak Bungalow Crossing, prompting a local to alert the authorities. By the time officers arrived, the suspects had departed. CCTV footage from the area was reviewed, showing two people on a motorcycle, with one taking photographs. Following their trail led police to the Fraser Road apartment.
During questioning, one youth told the police that he had been taking photographs because he was visiting Patna for the first time and wanted to share the images with a friend.
