Justice After 35 Years: Prime Accused in 1991 Jammu Railway Station Blast Arrested

Srinagar: After 35 years on the run, Railway (GRP) Police Jammu have arrested prime accused Altaf Hussain Sheikh of Anantnag in the 1991 railway station blast that killed three and injured 18. 

The powerful explosion on April 2, 1991 ripped through platform number 1 of Jammu railway station, leaving scenes of panic and devastation.

An FIR (No. 07/1991) was registered under sections 307, 302, 120(B) RPC, 3/4 TADA, and 4/5 ESA at GRP Jammu. While one accused, Aman Ullah Khan, was arrested soon after, Sheikh and three others managed to escape and were declared absconders by the court.

However, Sheikh remained underground for years before resurfacing under a concealed identity in Bijbehara, where he established himself as a successful businessman.

“We had fragments of information for years, but nothing conclusive,” said a senior GRP officer. “In the past two years, we intensified verification of his identity and residential details. Once confirmed, we moved in.”

“He was known here as a businessman. People dealt with him daily. Nobody imagined he had such a past,” said a shopkeeper while he added, “It is disturbing to know someone living among us was wanted for a crime of this scale,”.

The breakthrough came after GRP Jammu’s intensive manhunt, which meticulously verified Sheikh’s identity and residential particulars. He was arrested and produced before the TADA Court in Jammu on August 13, 2026.

“For decades, he managed to slip through cracks, changing identities and building a life far from the blast site. But we never closed the file. Every small lead was checked, every detail verified. His arrest is not just about one man; it is about sending a message that absconders cannot hide forever, and that justice, however delayed, will eventually reach them,” said another investigator.

Among the dead in the 1991 blast were two paramilitary personnel, while 18 civilians sustained injuries. For families of victims, the arrest has brought long‑awaited closure.

“We waited years for accountability. Today, it feels like justice has finally spoken,” said a relative of one of the deceased.