Team visits home of Pune man killed in Pahalgam
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 25: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted extensive searches at multiple locations across Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir and other States in a case linked to Pakistan-backed cross-border smuggling of arms and narcotics by Khalistani operatives.
Several electronic devices and other incriminating materials were recovered during the searches, conducted at 18 locations in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, and Karnataka.
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“NIA teams are examining the seized items to unravel the entire conspiracy behind the smuggling and the radicalization of individuals in Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, and other parts of India,” an official statement said.
The searches were conducted at the premises of suspected individuals connected to Pakistan-based entities in case RC-18/2024/NIA/DLI, registered by the anti-terror agency on 20th December 2024. The suspects under the scanner are aligned with the ideology of proscribed unlawful associations/ terrorist organisations, as per NIA investigations.
NIA investigations have further revealed that these entities have been conspiring via social media platforms, and are in regular contact with foreign-based handlers suspected to be Pro-Khalistani Elements (PKEs), as part of the conspiracy aimed at destabilizing India.
NIA is continuing with its investigations in the case.
Meanwhile, a team today visited the home of Pune resident Santosh Jagdale, who was among the 26 people killed by terrorists in south Kashmir’s tourist hotspot Pahalgam, police officials said.
The anti-terror agency’s team arrived at Jagdale’s home in Karvenagar and made enquires with his family members, the officials said without providing further details.
“The two-member NIA team visited the residence of the Jagdale family between 5 pm and 7 pm. The NIA team spoke to the kin of the deceased person, including his wife and daughter,” a source close to the family informed.
Jagdale’s daughter Asavari and his wife survived the ghastly attack.
The NIA is currently providing assistance to the Jammu and Kashmir police probing the April 22 massacre.
At least 26 people were killed when terrorists opened fire on people, mostly tourists, in the popular Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam in one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Kashmir in recent years.
Six of the killed tourists hailed from Maharashtra and of them, two – Jagdale and Kaustubh Ganbote – were from Pune. Both were close friends and their families had travelled together to Kashmir for a holiday.
Their bodies arrived in Pune in the wee hours of Thursday.
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