NIA raids 12 locations in Jammu and Kashmir in crackdown on terrorists, hybrid overground workers

Initial investigations by the NIA indicated that the cadres were allegedly involved in the collection and distribution of sticky bombs, IEDs, cash, narcotics, and small weapons

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on May 2 raided 12 locations in Jammu and Kashmir to investigate a Pakistan-backed terrorist conspiracy case.

“While 11 of these locations were in the Kashmir Valley — eight in Pulwama district, and one each in Kulgam, Anantnag and Budgam districts — one [raid] is underway in district Poonch in Jammu,” an NIA spokesperson said.

Searches were also being carried out on the premises of cadres and hybrid overground workers linked with alleged affiliates and offshoot organisations operating under false 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; People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAAF), and others”.

Initial investigations by the NIA indicated that these workers and cadres were allegedly involved in the collection and distribution of sticky bombs or magnetic bombs, improvised explosive devices (IED), cash, narcotics, and small weapons.

“These weapons, bombs, narcotics etc. were being pushed into the Indian soil by PaK-based handlers and commanders of proscribed terrorist organisations using drones to the terrorists active in the Kashmir valley,” the NIA said.

The raids were carried out in a case related to the alleged hatching of a conspiracy, both physically and in cyberspace, and plans by proscribed terrorist organisations to execute violent terrorist attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs, and small bombs.

“The plans are part of a larger conspiracy by the terrorist groups to commit terror acts in association with local youths and overground workers in order to create communal disharmony in J&K. The terrorist outfits involved in the conspiracy were identified as Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda, besides others,” the NIA said.

The NIA had conducted similar multiple searches in the said terror conspiracy case at 14 locations in Jammu and Kashmir on June 24, 2022. The searches had led to the seizure of incriminating material and digital devices. The NIA had registered a suo motu case on June 21, 2022 on the alleged terrorist conspiracy.