Srinagar, Sep 30: In a significant development unfolding in Dhangri terrorist attack, The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday conducted raids at premises of several suspects in Poonch districts of Jammu region in connection with the Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT) attack in Dhangri village of Rajouri district, in which five civilians were killed in January this year.
An NIA Official said that raids were conducted on Saturday at five locations across Gursai village of Mendhar Tehsil of Poonch district.
” NIA team along with security forces conducted searches at the residential premises of Overground Workers (OGWs) linked with LeT, a proscribed terrorist outfit,” he said.
The NIA official said that several digital devices and documents containing incriminating data and content have been seized and are being scrutinized for unraveling the conspiracy.
“Two accused, Nisar Ahmed alias Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain, were arrested by the NIA in the case (RC-01/2023/NIA/JMU) on 31st August 2023 and are currently lodged in Central Jail, Kot Bhalwal, Jammu,” he said.
The officer said that disclosures made by these two men, along with inputs gathered by the NIA, led to Saturday’s raids in Poonch.
“NIA investigations have revealed that both the arrested accused had harboured the terrorists who had carried out the deadly attack. They had provided logistics support to the terrorists for more than two months and had sheltered them in a hideout that they had built,” he said.
The officer further revealed that the duo, as per the NIA investigations, had been operating on the directions of Pakistan-based LeT handlers, namely Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt, Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi and Mohd Qasim.
“The attack case was initially registered as FIR no. 01/2023 at PS Rajouri under sections 302/ 307/120-B/452/323 of IPC; sections 13/16/18 of UA (P) Act 1967, and sections 7/27 of Arms Act. NIA, which had taken over and re-registered the case on 13th January, is carrying out further investigations,” the official said.
On January 1, a terrorist attack in Dhangri village killed five and left several people injured. The next morning, two more people died and many more were injured when an IED, suspected to have been planted by terrorists at a house in the village the previous night, exploded.
The case was initially registered at Rajouri police station and was later taken over by the NIA.
