Officials claimed the National Investigation Agency (NIA) detained a Lashker-e-Mustafa (LeM) terrorist on Saturday while conducting searches at 15 places across Jammu and Kashmir in connection with two terror-related cases.
According to an NIA spokesperson, the anti-terror investigation agency searched nine locations in J&K in connection with the LeM case, which was filed in March this year, as well as raiding six locations in connection with the recovery of a 5 kg IED from a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in Jammu on June 27.
According to a spokeswoman for the agency, “In connection with the LeM case, the NIA, J&K police, and the CRPF conducted searches at nine locations in the Shopian, Anantnag, and Jammu districts. Following the searches, one suspect, Irfan Ahmed Dar of Batingoo (Anantnag), was apprehended.”
According to the NIA, preliminary investigations have shown that Irfan Ahmed Dar was involved in a terrorist plot in cooperation with other apprehended suspects. He was apparently giving logistical support to LeM militants as well as arranging rifles and ammunition.
With the arrest of its self-styled commander Hidayatullah Malik and his accomplice Nazir Ahmad from Jammu in February, the LeM was declared wiped off at the request of the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) organisation. Both Hidayatullah Malik and Nazir Ahmad lived in the Shopian neighbourhood.
They were allegedly attempting to establish a base to receive Pakistani militants, as well as weapons and ammunition, from across the border.
The complaint was initially filed at Jammu’s Gangyal Police Station in connection with a LeM plot to carry out terrorist actions in J&K with the goal of endangering India’s sovereignty, integrity, and security, according to the spokesperson.
On March 2, the NIA re-registered the case and took over the investigation.
Many digital gadgets, including mobile phones, hard discs, memory cards, pen drives, computers, and booklets carrying incriminating evidence, according to the NIA, were found from the premises of the arrested accused and the suspects in the case during the searches.
In connection with the seizure of a 5 kg IED from a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in the Bathindi district of Jammu on June 27, the day two bombs were thrown on the Indian Air Force (IAF) station in Jammu using drones, the agency conducted searches at six additional places in J&K.
Many digital devices, including mobile phones, pen drives, used bullet shells, CDs, plastic face masks used during stone pelting, memory cards, handwritten jehadi material, Al-aqsa media ID card, and other incriminating materials, were recovered during Saturday’s searches, according to NIA.
