The police have already received interrogation reports of Billu Gujjar, currently under the custody of Punjab police in Gurdaspur district and these were being corroborated with informations provided by Sharif, another suspected harbourer of militants in Chamba. Sharif is one of the three Muslim Gujjars, who had accompanied the militants at the time when they gunned down 35 persons at Kalaban and Shatrundi on August 4 last. He was later let off along with two others Muslims.

Authoritative police sources told The Indian Express today that Billu Gujjar had not yet confirmed his involvement in the massacre but his statements tally with those of Sharif about his frequent visits to Baju-Ka-Bagh, near Khundi Maril in the Chamba area. The interrogation reports of Billu Gujjar reveal that he had been in contact with Sharif and had offered him (Sharif) money to provide informations about availability of explosives being used in blasting works in construction on roads in Himachal territory.

A team of police officials from Chamba had also participated in the interrogation of Billu Gujjar and returned along with interrogation reports for further investigations in the case. ``Whether Billu Gujjar actually was involved in the massacre or was just an accomplice, this has not yet been established,'' a senior police officer informed on promise of anonymity.

The Himachal police, in fact, had been maintaining quite a low profile on the progress made in the investigations about activities of the Kashmiri militants in Tissa, Kihar and Pangi areas. A senior officer claims that tips about Billu Gujjar were provided to the Punjab police immediately after interrogation of Sharif since he had been shuttling between Pathankot and Baju-Ka-Bagh (where he also has a Kotha now).

Jammu and Kashmir police had also been looking for a person of same name, who was involved in certain militant related activities in Doda and Udhampur. The police have also rounded up half-a-dozen other persons of the area for questioning.

Meanwhile, a regular exchange of information between Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir police has also encouraged the state police authorities to work on a coordinated action plan to flush out militants from the Chamba area.

The arrest of Billu Gujjar and Sharif had already helped the police to get vital clues about the involvement of militants in the massacre and also other subversive activities in the area for past four years.

Director General of Police B.S Thakur, who was slated to undertake an aerial survey of the remote and higher mountain peaks of Chamba is awaiting for the weather to clear up. The police along with ITBP personnel had already done a combing operations in some of the forests. The families which were suspected to have links with militants had also been kept under watch and ration supplies to the militants from PDS outlets and other shops had also been snapped.