Qayoom Khan
Srinagar: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday carried out fresh raids in Pulwama district of south Kashmir.
Official sources told GNS that the NIA sleuths accompanied by police and CRPF raided at Kasabayar village and detained a youth. During the raid, the NIA also seized three mobile phones and some documents. However it was not immediately known whether arrest was in connection with last year’s Pulwama attack.
The fresh raids carry a day after probe agency arrested Mohammad Maqbool Shah and his daughter Insha Jan for their alleged involvement in the Lethpora attack on 14 February last year.
According to NIA, Tariq during initial interrogation “disclosed that his house at Hakripora, Pulwama was used by Adil Ahmed Dar(Fidayeen), Mohd. Umar Farooq, a Pakistani militant and IED maker, Kamran another Pakistani (militant) (both were later killed in encounters with security forces), Sameer Ahmed Dar, a Jaish-e-Mohd militant from Pulwama and Mohd. Ismail alias Ibrahim alias Adnan, a Pakistani militant.”
“Accused Tariq facilitated all the (militants) at his house for sheltering and for planning of the heinous attack on the CRPF convoy. His house was also used by the (militants) for preparing and recording of video of Fidayeen Adil Ahmed Dar, which was released by Jaish-e-Mohammad soon after the Pulwama attack,” NIA said.
As per NIA, 23-year-old Insha Jan had facilitated the militants at their home and provided food and other logistics during their stay on more than 15 occasions for 2-4 days each time, in their house during the year 2018-2019.
“Initial interrogation has revealed that Ms. Insha Jan was in constant touch with Mohd. Umar Farooq, Pakistani IED maker and was in communication with him over telephone and other social media applications.”
NIA had recently arrested 22-year-old Shakir Bashir Magrey, an alleged Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative. Magrey, according to NIA had tracked the movement of CRPR convoys and helped assemble the bomb used in the attack that killed at least 40 paramilitary personnel.
A furniture shop owner and resident of Hajibal, Kakapora in Pulwama, Shakir as per NIA had started conducting reconnaissance of the movement of CRPF convoy on Jammu-Srinagar Highway in January 2019, and informed militants. Magrey is presently under police remand on the orders by NIA Special Court at Jammu. (GNS)
