Ghulam Nabi, a resident of Litter village in Pulwama, was caught by local people on Friday after he allegedly hurled the grenade outside a mosque at Tahab, a defence spokesman said on Saturday.
Inspector General of Police (Kashmir) S M Sahai said the youth was paid Rs 1,000 by Hizbul Mujahideen to hurl the grenade with the intention of targetting Maulana Abdul Rashid Dawoodi, a preacher of Barielvi sect.
Unofficial reports said Ghulam Nabi was related to a self-styled divisional commander of Hizb. Sahai, however, said he was not aware of any such link so far.
"He is still with the Army. A better picture will emerge once he is handed over to police," he added.
Dawoodi was injured in the grenade blast while he was leading a group of followers through a narrow lane into the mosque where he was scheduled to deliver the Friday prayers' sermon.
The priest, whose preaching of Barielvi sect are in contradiction with teachings of Hanafi and Shafaie sects followed by majority of Muslims in the state, is undergoing treatment at SKIMS hospital here.
Hizbul Mujahideen, in a call to a local news agency, condemned the grenade attack saying it was against the principles and teachings of Islam. However, there was no mention in the statement about the allegations that the arrested youth was hired by the Hizb.
Five persons, including four girls, were killed and 55 injured in the blast outside the mosque yesterday.
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