Srinagar, Aug 31:
In a major breakthrough, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) in Jammu and Kashmir has successfully apprehended eight long-sought terrorists who managed to evade the clutches of the law for nearly three decades. These individuals, responsible for heinous acts of terrorism and disruptive activities, were wanted under the stringent TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities) Act.
The breakthrough is the outcome of a meticulous joint operation carried out by the SIA and the CID, who methodically tracked down these fugitive terrorists over the course of several months.
These individuals were involved in serious cases of terrorism and disruptive activities that were registered under the TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities) Act. According to officials, “These individuals had gone into hiding after committing various acts of terrorism, some of them even taking on regular jobs, engaging in businesses, and blending into the society. Shockingly, a few had even secured government positions and contracts, while another was working in the court.”
These terrorist absconders were involved in various heinous crimes, including kidnapping for ransom and threatening the life of Ghulam Mohd Wani, a resident of Doda, at gunpoint (Case FIR No. 158/1992 under sections 3, 4 of TADA, 364 RPC, 3/25 Arms Act of PS Doda). They were also responsible for the kidnapping for ransom and subsequent killing of Mohd Sadiq and Tariq Hussain from their home in Doda on the intervening night of April 23/24, 1993. While Tariq Hussain tragically lost his life, Mohd Sadiq sustained serious injuries (Case FIR No. 48/1993 u/s 3, 4 of TADA, 302, 307 of RPC, 3/25 Arms Act, PS Doda).
Furthermore, these individuals instigated people by spreading a false narrative during the ongoing prayers of Shabae-e-Qadir in Jamia Masjid, Doda, and other mosques in the region. They falsely claimed that innocent people in Kashmir were facing atrocities, manipulating and coercing them to observe a strike in Doda at gunpoint (Case FIR No. 58/1991 u/s 3 and 4 of TADA, 153/194-A RPC of PS Doda). Additionally, a significant cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from their hideout in the past.
These weapons were concealed underground in the Shambaz area (Case FIR No. 101/1994 u/s 3, 4 of TADA, 3/25 Arms Act, PS Doda).
Among the apprehended terrorists are Adil Farooq Faridi, a government employee posted in JK BOSE, Jammu; Mohd Iqbal alias Javed, Mujahid Hussain alias Nisar Ahmed, Tariq Hussain, Ishtiaq Ahmed Dev alias Ajaz, Ajaz Ahmed alias Mohd, Iqbal, Jameel Ahmed alias Jugnu alias Chika Khan, and Ishfaq Ahmed. These terrorists were wanted for serious crimes like kidnapping for ransom, threats, and killings. They will be presented before the TADA/POTA court in Jammu as per the issued warrants.
As part of its larger goal to eliminate terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir, the SIA has launched a special initiative to locate and bring to justice all absconders in terrorism-related cases.
Out of a total of 734 absconders in 327 TADA/POTA cases, the SIA has identified 369 individuals so far. Among them, 127 remain untraced, 80 have passed away, 45 are abroad (including in Pakistan and PoK), and 4 are currently imprisoned.
