Pulwama terror attack: NIA names JeM chief Masood Azhar in chargesheet

National Investigation Agency (NIA) to file a 13,500-page charge sheet in the Pulwama terror attack case on Tuesday, naming a number of Pakistani nationals, including JeM chief Masood Azhar. On February 14, 2019, a terror attack was carried out in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir by a suicide bomber resulting in the death of 40 CRPF personnel.

Jammu: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) in its charge sheet in the 2019 February Pulwama terror attack case has named terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) chief Masood Azhar, his brother Abdul Rauf Asghar, slain terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq, suicide bomber Adil Ahmed Dar and other terrorist commanders operating from Pakistan.

Pulwama terror attack: NIA files 13,500 chargesheet

The 13,500-page chargesheet names people who were arrested from Pulwama for providing shelter and shooting the last video of Adil Dar, the suicide bomber who used around 200 kgs of explosives in the vehicle that rammed into the CRPF convoy on February 14 last year killing 40 personnel near Lethpora in South Kashmir.

The attack escalated the enmity between India and Pakistan so much so that India launched airstrikes on Pakistan in Balakot and claimed to have destroyed militant trained camps. The ties between the two neighbouring countries continue to be in a stalemate.

In July, the NIA informed that it has arrested the seventh accused named, Bilal Ahmed Kuchey, whom the agency has termed as 'a terror associate' on July 5.

According to the agency, Kuchey a resident of Hajibal, Kakapora, Jammu and Kashmir, runs a sawmill at his place and harboured and extended logistic support to the Jaish-e- Mohammad (JeM) terrorists involved in the Pulwama attack.

13, 500 pages chargesheet filed by NIA

Officials say that the charge sheet has irrefutable evidence - technical, material and circumstantial - on Pakistan’s role in the attack. It cites the roles of the JeM leadership and the arrested accused in the attack and has details like chats, calls details of terrorists.

The main perpetrators in the case stayed in his house and Kuchey further introduced them to other over ground workers (OGWs) who provided safe houses during their stay and planning of the attack. He also provided the JeM terrorists with high-end mobile phones which were used by them to communicate with the Pakistan-based JeM leadership as well as among themselves for giving final touches to their planning and for the execution of the attack, according to the agency.

Further, one of the mobiles provided by him was also used for recording the video clip of a terrorist Adil Ahmed Dar, which became viral after the attack.

The 19 people-among them seven have been killed during encounters with security forces, seven are under NIA arrest-named by the NIA in its charge sheet are:

1. Masood Azhar Alvi, 52 years, Pakistani national

2. Rouf Asgar Alvi, 47 years, Pakistani national

3. Ammar Alvi, 46 years, Pakistani national

4. Shakir Bashir, 24 Years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&K.

5. Insha Jan, 22 Years r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&K

6. Peer Tariq Ahmed Shah, 53 Years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, J&K

7. Waiz-ul-Islam, 20 Years, r/o Srinagar, J&K

8. Mohd Abbas Rather, 31 Years, r/o Kakapura, Pulwama, J&K.

9. Bilal Ahmed Kuchhey, 28 years, r/o Hajibal, Lalhar, Pulwama, J&K

10. Mohd Iqbal Rather, 25 years, r/o, Charar-e-Shareef, Budgam, J&K.

11. Mohd Ismail, 25 years, r/o Pakistani national

12. Sameer Ahmad Dar, 22 years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, Kashmir

13. Ashaq Ahmed Nengroo, 33 years, r/o Rajpura, Pulwama

14. Adil Ahmed Dar, 21 years, r/o Kakapora, Pulwama, Kashmir (Killed)

15. Muhammad Umar Farooq, 24 years, r/o Pakistani national (Killed)

16. Mohd Kamran Ali, 25 years, r/o Pakistani national (Killed)

17. Sajjad Ahmed Bhat, 19 years, r/o Bijbehera, Anantnag (Killed)

18. Mudasir Ahmad Khan, 24 years, r/o Awantipura, Pulwama (Killed)

19. Qari Yasir, r/o Pakistani national (Killed)