Raids at multiple locations in J&K, Rajasthan
*28 arrested so far; 2 detained in Kalakote
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Feb 19: In a major crackdown against terror and its sponsors, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted raids at multiple locations on perpetrators of the violence in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan and recovered large quantity of incriminating documents and digital devices among others.
“Seizures will help further break the terror conspiracies and hawala network in Jammu and Kashmir. So far, the NIA has arrested 28 persons in the conspiracy which was aimed at undertaking violent terrorist acts in J&K and other major Indian cities including New Delhi,” sources told the Excelsior.
Most of the arrests have been made from the Kashmir valley, they said.
Two persons detained by the NIA during raids at village Mangrote in Kalakote tehsil of Rajouri district have been identified as Mohammad Ashraf son of Lal Din Kohli and Mohammad Zubair son of Suba, both residents of Mangrote. From their possession, two mobile phones and SIM cards have been recovered.
Eight locations where searches were conducted by the NIA sleuths today included Kalakote in Rajouri district; Sopore, Kupwara, Shopian, Budgam and Ganderbal in Kashmir and Jodhpur district of Rajasthan.
The NIA had registered a case in its New Delhi office after developing specific inputs that top militant outfits, some of which had direct backing of Pakistan, were planning to carry out sensational terror acts in Jammu and Kashmir and other major Indian cities using sophisticated explosive devices with a view to create panic among the people.
The proscribed terror organizations which were planning terror strikes include Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Al Badr and their affiliates such as The Resistance Front (TRF) and People Against Fascist Forces (PAFF).
All these militant outfits have significant presence in Jammu and Kashmir especially the Kashmir valley though their large number of active militants including top commanders have also been eliminated by security forces.
Sources said that during all raids conducted today, the NIA has recovered various incriminating documents, digital devices, SIM cards and digital storage devices from houses of terror conspirators and their sponsors.
The NIA was conducting further investigations in the case and more arrests, raids and recoveries are not ruled out.
“With 28 arrests so far and recoveries of large number of documents, devices etc, the NIA has thwarted major terror plot by various militant outfits and their affiliates to carry out strikes in different parts of the country especially the major cities of Jammu and Kashmir and New Delhi,” sources said.
An official statement issued by the NIA said: “the National Investigation Agency today conducted searches at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir and Rajasthan in connection with a terrorism conspiracy case. Twenty-eight accused have been arrested in the case so far. During the searches conducted today, various incriminating documents, digital devices, SIM cards and digital storage devices have been seized”.
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