Two functionaries of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as two of their personal security guards have been arrested in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district for staging a ‘terrorist attack’ on themselves, NDTV reported.

As per police sources, BJP leaders Ishfaq Ahmad and Basharat Ahmad faked the attack in a bid to get enhanced security and attract senior leaders’ attention.

The two were presented at a magistrate court on Monday, 19 July, and sent to police remand for seven days, NDTV reported.

Ishfaq and Basharat had previously claimed that they had been targeted by unidentified gunmen in an incident, which was referred to as an ‘accidental firing’ by the police.

The District Police of Kupwara had tweeted,

Ishfaq Ahmed is the son of BJP’s district chief Mohammad Shafi Mir.

After the incident, Mir, his son, and Basharat Ahmad were suspended by the party and an internal enquiry has been initiated to decided further course of action, NDTV reported.

Mir was a Sarpanch in Shopian district’s Wachi. He had contested the 2014 Assembly polls on a BJP ticket.

This story first appeared on thequint.com