Jammu Railway Station 1991 Blast Suspect Altaf Hussain Sheikh Arrested

The Railway Police in Jammu have arrested a man allegedly involved in the 1991 bomb blast at Jammu Railway Station, marking the first breakthrough in the case in 35 years.

Three people, including two paramilitary troopers, had died and 18 were injured in the blast on Jammu Railway Station’s Platform No. 1. The J&K Police said Thursday that the Government Railway Police (GRP), Jammu, arrested absconding terrorist Altaf Hussain Sheikh, a resident of Bijbehara, Anantnag, after 35 years. The accused had allegedly gone underground and was subsequently living under an assumed identity for decades.

This comes two years after GRP Jammu launched an intensive manhunt to find the suspect. Police said they had verified his identity by “minutely going into details of his identity and residential particulars and discovered him living under a concealed identity who had established himself as a successful businessman in the Bijbehara area.”

This is the second arrest in the case. One suspect, Aman Ullah Khan, was arrested on the day of the blast, with the police now looking for the remaining accused.

All suspects in the case face charges under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, 1991.

Sheikh was produced before a TADA court Thursday.

Naveed Iqbal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, and reports from Jammu and Kashmir. With a career spanning over 15 years in frontline journalism, Naveed provides authoritative reporting on the region’s transition, governance, and the socio-political implications of national policies. Expertise Regional Specialization: Based in the Srinagar and New Delhi bureaus, Naveed has spent over a decade documenting the unique challenges of Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting is distinguished by deep contextual knowledge of the region's post-Article 370, statehood debates, and local electoral politics. Key Coverage Beats: Her extensive body of work covers: Politics & Governance: Tracking the National Conference (NC), PDP, and BJP dynamics, including in-depth coverage of J&K’s first Assembly sessions and Rajya Sabha polls following the reorganization of the state. Internal Security & Justice: Providing rigorous reporting on counter-insurgency operations, terror module investigations, and judicial developments involving political detainees and constitutional rights. Education & Minority Affairs: Highlighting systemic issues such as quota rows in J&K, public service commission reforms, and the challenges faced by minority communities. ... Read More