Srinagar Prison Compromised? Cop Helped Jailed Terrorist Send Two Boys to PoK, Says NIA

New Delhi: Has Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo and his associates managed to infiltrate the Srinagar central jail? This is the question worrying the government after NIA investigations revealed how a jail officer helped two boys gain access to a terrorist housed there.

In October 2017, then deputy jail superintendent Feroz Ahmed Lone had helped Suhail Ahmad Bhat and Danish Ghulam Lone meet terrorist Ishaq Palla, the NIA has found.

Suhail and Danish told NIA they had gone to meet Palla after Naikoo told them Palla could help them cross over to PoK for arms training despite being in jail.

"Suhail and Danish lived in Naikoo's neighbouring village. They told him about wanting to go to PoK for arms training. Naikoo directed them to Palla and told them to get in touch with him over blackberry messenger," an NIA official told News18.

Sources said that at the jail, the deputy jail superintendent not just looked the other way but also actively facilitated the meetings between Palla and the two boys over a period of one month.

“Ishaq Palla was hatching a conspiracy from inside the jail. In this conspiracy, he was actively assisted by Lone. The conspiracy meeting at the central prison was held on October 25, 2017," an NIA spokesperson said.

Officials told CNN-News18 that as part of the conspiracy, Danish and Suhail used the name of some other convict - Parvez to escape scrutiny associated with meeting a terrorist like Palla. Lone also helped them evade the scrutiny. Palla subsequently directed Danish and Suhail to a Kupwara hotel, from where a messenger was to take them to PoK, they said.

“Lone's direct connection with Naikoo is yet to emerge but it is clear that he was aware of Palla's conspiracy and was helping him," an official said.

Lone is now in NIA custody and officials will question him if there were others involved. The role of Srinagar central jail officials has also come under scanner in the case of wanted terrorist Naveed Jatt, who managed to escape from a Srinagar hospital while in custody of jail officials.