STATE TIMES NEWS
Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out raids at five locations in the Kashmir valley in a crackdown on newly-floated offshoots of proscribed Pakistan-backed terrorist groups operating in the Union territory, officials said.
Houses of four terrorists raided in Kishtwar
Jammu: The Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday carried out raids at the houses of four terrorists, who are operating from across the border and making efforts to revive militancy in Kishtwar district, a senior police officer said.
The raids are underway at Mughal Maiden, Chatroo and Singhpora areas and are aimed at eliminating the militant ecosystem in the district by identifying various over-ground workers and supporters of terrorism, Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Khalil Ahmad Poswal told PTI.
Officials said the houses of terrorists Jamal Din, Gulzar Ahmad, Shabir Ahmad and Gulabu, who have escaped to Pakistan and are operating from there, were targeted in the latest round of raids in connection with a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The special NIA court in Jammu had on April 26 issued non-bailable warrants against 23 terrorists from Kishtwar operating from across the border. Earlier, non-bailable warrants were issued against 13 terrorists in the district.
The 36 individuals from Kishtwar went to Pakistan after joining the terror ranks over a period of time. Subsequently, two FIRs were registered against them after their involvement in terror activities surfaced during investigations, the SSP said.
The operation was conducted in Anantnag, Shopian and Pulwama districts in south Kashmir as part of the agency’s ongoing investigation into a physical and online conspiracy by terrorists to launch a series of attacks in Jammu and Kashmir with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms.
In the search operation that began in the morning, the agency raided residences of “hybrid terrorists and overground workers (OGWs)” allegedly linked with the “newly-formed offshoots and affiliates” of Kashmiri terrorist groups, a statement by the NIA spokesperson said.
“Premises of sympathisers and cadres of these organisations were also raided,” it said, adding several digital devices containing massive incriminating data were seized.
The NIA is investigating the newly floated groups, including The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu and Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF among others.
These groups are affiliated with major banned terrorist organisations operating from Pakistan like Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, al Qaeda, etc., the statement said.
“All these cadres and workers are being investigated for activities relating to terror, violence, and subversion in J&K. NIA suspects their involvement in the collection and distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, IEDs, funds, narcotic substances and arms/ammunitions,” it said.
The NIA took over the suo-motu investigation against these groups on June 21 last year.
“As per NIA investigations, Pakistan-based operatives behind the conspiracy used various social media platforms to spread terror among the people. They were also using drones to deliver arms/ammunition, explosives, narcotics etc., to their agents and cadres in the Kashmir valley,” the statement said.