Srinagar: Bilal Ahmad Kuchay, a key accused in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack, died of a heart attack while in custody at the Government Medical College Hospital in Jammu. Kuchay, 32, was one of the main accused in the attack that claimed the lives of 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel.
Kuchay, a resident of Hajibal village in Kakapora, Pulwama, was arrested in 2020 for providing logistical support to the attackers. He had been held at the Kishtwar district jail and was hospitalized on September 17 after complaining of chest pain. Despite medical intervention, he succumbed to a heart attack late last night.
The 2019 Pulwama attack, orchestrated by the Pakistan-based terrorist group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), involved a suicide bomber ramming an explosive-laden vehicle into a CRPF convoy. The incident led to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, culminating in the 2019 India-Pakistan military standoff.
Kuchay was among 19 individuals charged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in connection with the attack. The charges included various sections of the Ranbir Penal Code, Arms Act, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the J&K Public Property (Prevention of Damages) Act. While several accused have been killed in encounters, others, including JeM founder Masood Azhar, remain at large.