A special NIA court here issued non-bailable warrants against 13 terrorists, hailing from Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, who are presently operating from across the border, police said on Thursday.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Khalil Poswal said the warrants have been issued in a terror-related case registered last year under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at police station Kishtwar.
The chief investigation officer of Kishtwar Police approached the special NIA court for issuance of non-bailable warrants against the accused for their active involvement in terror activities and creating unrest in the Chenab valley and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, he said.
“After the eruption of terrorism in 1990, many terrorists were killed but one group comprising 36 members affiliated with Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), all residents of Kishtwar, were settled in different parts of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir and engaged in disruptive activities,” the officer said.
He said two cases were registered against them and in one of the cases, non-bailable open-ended warrants have been issued by the special NIA court Jammu, while similar action is being taken against others as well in the coming days.
“We are forwarding a red corner notice to Interpol and a process has also been initiated to identify their properties to get them sealed. Based on electronic and other evidence, we will pursue these two cases in the court of law and with the help of Interpol will arrest the terrorists and bring them back to face the law,” Mr. Poswal said.
Besides luring the youth into militancy, the officer said, the Pakistan-based terrorists mobilised sleeper cells and pushed them into J&K in connivance with secessionist and separatist leaders for waging war against the government of India with the nefarious design of seceding Jammu and Kashmir.
In nearby Doda, police said a total of 118 terrorists belonging to different parts of the district have exfiltrated into Pakistan and 10 among them are most active and making continuous attempts to recruit youth into militancy and disturb peace in J&K.
Senior Superintendent of Police, Doda, Abdul Qayoom said while property of one of the terrorists was recently seized, appropriate action is being taken against the rest of the others.
“Two of the terrorists have already been declared as ‘individual terrorists’ and two others as proclaimed offenders,” he said, adding dossiers are being prepared against active terrorists and the details of their properties are also being collected.
