NIA takes over Kokernag encounter case upon the MHA directive

The Union Home Ministry notified NIA about the incident in Kokernag, that claimed the lives of three senior Army and J&K Police officers, as well as a soldier. Previously, the investigation agency was assigned to look into the insurgents' assassination of Inspector Masroor Ahmad Wani in Eidgah.

Srinagar (Jammu And Kashmir):The case of the encounter in Kokernag, Anantnag, which resulted in the deaths of three senior Army and J&K Police officers and a soldier, has been handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) following a notification from the Union Home Ministry.

The case was first filed at Police Station Kokernag, then after the NIA took over, it was filed again at the agency's Jammu Police Station under File No. RC-04/2023/NIA/JMU. This is the second case that the NIA has been given this month following the MHA announcement.

The militant attack on September 13, which claimed the lives of three senior Army and J&K Police officials, Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Aashish Dhonchak of the 19 Rashtriya Rifles, and J&K Police DSP Humayun Muzammil Bhat would be thoroughly investigated by the agency. Uzair Khan, a top Lashkar Taiba militant, was also killed by the security forces during the gunfight.

The FIR refers to Sections 302 and 307 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), Sections 7, 25, and 27 of the Arms Act, and Sections 16, 18, 19, 20, 23, 38, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

The investigation agency was previously tasked with investigating the assassination of Inspector Masroor Ahmad Wani in Eidgah by militants. On October 29, while playing cricket at the Eidgah ground in Srinagar, the J&K Police officer was shot by militants.

The Dhangri Rajouri terror attack case is also being looked into by the NIA Jammu Police Station as well. Two suspects, Nisar Ahmad and Mushtaq Hussain, have already been taken into custody by the NIA for their roles in the Dhangri attack.

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