Bilal Ahmad Kuchay, who has been reported as an accused in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, passed away at the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu after being admitted due to chest pain. Officials reported that Kuchay, who was imprisoned at Kishtwar district jail, suffered a heart failure on Monday night, reported The Indian Express.
Kuchay, a resident of Kakapora in Pulwama district, was one of the key accused in the deadly 2019 attack on a CRPF convoy, which killed 40 personnel. The terror attack, carried out by suicide bomber Adil Ahmad Dar on February 14, 2019, at Lethpora on the Jammu-Srinagar highway, marked one of the deadliest attacks on Indian security forces in recent history.
Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), a Pakistan-based Islamist terrorist group, claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack significantly escalated tensions between India and Pakistan, resulting in a military standoff in 2019. In retaliation, the Indian Air Force conducted airstrikes on JeM camps inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
Kuchay was arrested in 2020, accused of providing logistical support to the attackers. He was among 19 individuals identified during the investigation, with many either killed or arrested by August 2021.
India commemorates the attack each year, honoring the fallen CRPF personnel and reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding peace and security in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Pulwama attack remains a pivotal moment in the ongoing security challenges in the region, highlighting the complexities of militancy and cross-border tensions.
