Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar/Jammu, May 2: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted multiple raids across Jammu and Kashmir in a militancy conspiracy case from across the border.
The day-long searches were conducted at 12 locations in Jammu and Kashmir including eight in Pulwama, one each in Kulgam, Anantnag and Budgam districts of Kashmir and Poonch area of Jammu region.
The case (RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU) related to the hatching of a conspiracy, both physical and in cyberspace, and plans by militants to execute violent attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms.
The NIA said that plans are part of a larger conspiracy by the militant groups to carry out attacks in association with local youths/Over Ground Workers in order to create communal disharmony in J&K. The NIA identified as Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr and Al-Qaeda as the militant outfits that are involved in the conspiracy.
The NIA said: “Searches were also carried out in the premises of cadres and hybrid Over Ground Workers linked with the affiliates and offshoots of these organisations, operating under pseudo names such as “The Resistance Front (TRF)”, “United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (UL J&K)”, “Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH)”, “Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF)”, Kashmir Tigers, PAAF and others”.
“Initial investigations by the NIA indicated that these workers and cadres were involved in collection and distribution of sticky bombs or magnetic bombs, IEDs, cash, narcotics and small weapons. These weapons, bombs, narcotics etc were being pushed on to the Indian soil by PoJK-based handlers and commanders of proscribed terrorist organisations using drones to the terrorists active in the Kashmir valley,” the NIA said.
The NIA had conducted similar multiple searches in the said terror conspiracy case at 14 locations in Jammu and Kashmir on 24th June last year. The searches, conducted then in the districts of Srinagar, Baramula, Pulwama, Anantnag Budgam and Kathua, had led to the seizure of incriminating material and digital devices. NIA had registered a suo motu case on 21st June 2022 about the terrorist conspiracy.
In Poonch district, NIA conducted raids in Jhulas and Khaneter areas and detained a woman. She is being questioned in Police Station Poonch.
The SIA, meanwhile, also went to District Jail Poonch where they questioned Rafiq Lala, a PSA detainee.
More than Rs 2 crore cash and narcotics were recovered from his house earlier.
The woman is reportedly being questioned by the NIA in connection with Bhatta Durrian (Mendhar) terror attack in Poonch district on April 20 in which five Army bravehearts sacrificed their lives.
Further details were awaited.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
