35-Year Manhunt Ends: GRP Jammu Nabs 1991 Railway Blast Absconder From Anantnag
Arif Rashid
JAMMU, AUG 13: The Government Railway Police (GRP) Jammu has arrested a man who had been absconding for nearly 35 years in connection with a deadly bomb blast at Jammu Railway Station in 1991.
The accused has been identified as Altaf Hussain Sheikh, son of Nazir Ahmed Sheikh, a resident of Marhama-Bijbehara in Anantnag district. He was booked in connection with the case under the provisions of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA).
According to officials, Sheikh was allegedly involved in the bomb blast that took place on April 2, 1991, at Platform No. 1 of Jammu Railway Station. The explosion claimed the lives of three people, including two paramilitary personnel, while 18 civilians sustained injuries.
In connection with the incident, FIR No. 07/1991 was registered at Police Station GRP Jammu under Sections 307, 302 and 120-B RPC, Sections 3/4 of TADA and Sections 4/5 of the Explosive Substances Act.
During the course of investigation, one accused, identified as Aman Ullah Khan, was arrested, while three other accused managed to evade arrest. The three were subsequently declared absconders by the competent court.
Officials said that GRP Jammu intensified its efforts over the past two years to trace the remaining absconders involved in the decades-old case. During the investigation, the police team developed leads, verified the identity of the suspect and traced his whereabouts in the Bijbehara area of Anantnag.
According to officials, Sheikh had allegedly been living under a concealed identity for several decades and had established himself as a businessman in the area, enabling him to evade arrest for a prolonged period.
After sustained efforts and verification, the GRP team finally apprehended him. The accused was produced before the TADA Court on August 13, 2026, for further legal proceedings.
The arrest marks a significant development in the long-pending railway blast case and highlights the continued efforts of the Railway Police to trace and apprehend absconders involved in militancy-related and other serious criminal cases, even decades after the incidents.
Authorities said the investigation and further legal proceedings in the case will continue in accordance with law.
