A day after the deadly strike on a CRPF convoy that took lives of 44 paramilitary jawans, the security agencies have identified Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) commander Abdul Rasheed as the mastermind of the Pulwama terror attack.

Pakistani national Rasheed is suspected to have been trained in Afghanistan. An IED expert, he is suspected to have planned the terror attack in December last year. He is suspected to have also acted as a handler of the slain Adil Ahmad Dar, alias Waqas Commando who rammed his explosive-laded Scorpio SUV into a bus of the CRPF convoy on Thursday.

Intelligence estimates suggest 35-40 fidayeen of Jaish are active in South Kashmir.

Inputs also suggest motorcycle-borne fidayeen could be on the prowl in the Valley, a reason why convoy movement was banned across Kashmir by the State police.

“The chatter inputs reveal that Jaish-e-Mohammad has hinted to carry out IED attacks along the routes of security forces across Jammu & Kashmir. It is as such suggested that security forces need to put on alert to thwart any such attempt by terrorists,” warned a Multi-Agency Centre (MAC) alert a day before the Pulwama attack, asking all the J&K-based units to remain on highest alert and maintain constant liaison with the State police.

“…it is requested to issue necessary guidelines and instructions and to all unit commanders of J&K-based units to be on highest alert to avoid any untoward incident. Constant liaison must be maintained with the local police and other intelligence agencies for sharing of information and coordinate action. Any significant information in this regard should be immediately intimated to all concerned,” read the alert.

The J&K Police had on February 8 issued an alert asking the CRPF to sanitise area of deployment. “Before occupying your place of deployment, please sanitise the area properly as there are inputs of use of IEDs. Matter most urgent, read the February 8 alert flashed through the police control room to the various formations of CRPF, Srinagar Sector, BSF, ITBP and police formations in the State,” it said.

Amid inputs of the bike-borne fidayeen who could hit security forces, the movement of convoy of forces in Kashmir Valley was suspended on Friday. Apprehension of law and order situation was also cited as a reason for suspension of convoys. Even movement of administrative vehicles and isolated vehicles were advised to be restricted.

"There will be no convoy movement today (Friday)" as there are apprehensions of law and order problem in the Valley," the alert by J&K Police said.

Movement of isolated vehicle is strictly prohibited while movement of Army and CRPF vehicles in the interior, inter-district and intra-district in the Valley is also banned on Friday, it said.