Bilal Ahmad Kuchay, an accused in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, has died in a government hospital in Jammu. Officials reported that Kuchay was admitted to the Government Medical College Hospital after complaining of chest pain while in Kishtwar district jail.
According to doctors, Kuchay passed away late last night due to heart failure.
The Pulwama attack occurred on February 14, 2019, when a suicide bomber, Adil Ahmad Dar, detonated an explosive-laden vehicle, killing 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway in Lethpora. Kuchay was arrested in 2020 as one of the three main accused, charged with providing support to the attackers.
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Dar, a local from Pulwama, also died in the attack, which was claimed by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). India has consistently held Pakistan responsible for the incident, a claim that Pakistan denies.
The attack significantly strained India-Pakistan relations, leading to military confrontations in 2019, including Indian airstrikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Investigations into the attack have identified 19 accused, with several having been killed or arrested by August 2021. Each year, India commemorates the anniversary of the fallen CRPF soldiers, reaffirming its commitment to maintaining peace and security in Jammu and Kashmir.