NIA raids multiple locations in J&K in terror funding case

Sources said that the NIA sleuths assisted by the Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Armed Police Forces raided at least seven locations in Kashmir valley and one in Jammu and started searches in connection with the terror funding case. The raids come two weeks after the NIA arrested a man from Kathua district in connection with a Pak-backed terrorism case involving the delivery of weapons through drones to militants active in Kashmir.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday launched raids at multiple locations in connection with a terror funding case, sources said. Sources said that the raids were conducted by the NIA sleuths assisted by Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).

It is learnt that the raids were conducted at at least seven locations in Kashmir valley and one in Jammu in connection with the terror funding case. In the Valley, the NIA conducted the raids in Shopian district in south Kashmir, Baramulla in north Kashmir besides others places. Sources said that in Baramulla, the NIA conducted a raid at Charmarpura Kanalbagh area of the north Kashmir district.

Signifiantly, the fresh raids by the NIA come two weeks after the central probe agency arrested a Kathua resident in connection with a Pak-backed terrorism case involving the delivery of weapons through drones to militants active in Kashmir. According to a NIA spokesperson, a team from the NIA Jammu Branch nabbed 22-year-old namely Zakir Hussain of district Kathua, J&K, on Nov 21.

Hussain was the 8th accused to be arrested in the case (RC-06/2022/NIA/JMU), registered by the NIA on 30th July 2022 after taking over the case from Kathua Police. One of the seven accused arrested earlier had died due to cardiac arrest while in judicial custody while two Pakistan-based terror operatives are absconding, the NIA spokesperson said.

The seven arrested accused and the two absconders were earlier chargesheeted by NIA on 12th January 2023, under Sec 16, 17, 18, 18B, 20, 23, 38, 39 & 40 of UA (P) Act, 1967, sections 25(1)(a) & 25(1AA) of the Arms Act, sections 4 & 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and sections 120B, 121A & 122 of the IPC.

According to NIA investigations, the accused were working on the directions of their Pakistani handler, identified as Sajjad Gul. The accused were involved in collecting, receiving and transporting the weapons dropped through drones to militants active in the Kashmir valley. The weapons were used to commit terrorist attacks in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, the NIA said.

The local police had initially registered the case following the interception of a drone (Hexacopter) and seizure of several of rounds of UBGL / Magnetic Bombs near Dhalli area of PS Rajbagh in District Kathua. “NIA is continuing with its investigations in the matter to unravel the bigger conspiracy of Pakistan-backed terrorist groups to carry out acts of terror and violence in the Kashmir valley and across India,” added the NIA spokesperson.