Srinagar, June 26: In a significant move to counter the conspiracy of newly-floated offshoots of Pakistan-backed terrorist outfits aimed at destabilizing Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted raids at 12 locations in four districts of the region. The NIA’s actions were part of an ongoing crackdown against the terror ecosystem.
According to an NIA spokesperson, the raids were carried out in Kulgam, Bandipora, Shopian, and Pulwama districts, and the residential premises of hybrid terrorists and overground workers associated with the newly-formed offshoots and affiliates of banned terrorist outfits. The searches also extended to sympathizers and cadres of these organizations.
During the raids, NIA recovered several digital devices containing substantial volumes of incriminating data. These devices will undergo a thorough scrutiny by the agency to unravel the details of the terrorist conspiracy. It is worth noting that the NIA initiated the investigation a year ago after registering a suo moto case on June 21, 2022.
The NIA spokesperson disclosed that the investigation focuses on newly floated terror outfits such as The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF, and others. These outfits have affiliations with Pakistan-backed organizations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda, and others, all of which have been banned by the Government of India.
The individuals whose premises were raided are now under the NIA’s scanner due to their suspected involvement in activities such as the collection and distribution of sticky bombs, magnetic bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), funds, narcotic substances, as well as arms and ammunition. NIA investigations have revealed that these individuals have been engaging in spreading activities related to terror, violence, and subversion in J&K.
Simultaneously, investigations have unveiled the usage of social media platforms by operatives based in Pakistan to promote terror. Additionally, the perpetrators were employing drones to deliver arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics, and other illicit items to their operatives and cadres in the Kashmir valley.
The NIA spokesperson emphasized that the terror conspiracy being investigated involves plotting by banned outfits in both physical and cyberspace, aiming to carry out violent terrorist attacks in J&K using sticky bombs, IEDs, small arms, and other means. These organizations, supported by their handlers in Pakistan, have conspired to commit acts of terror and violence by radicalizing local youth and mobilizing overground workers, ultimately disturbing peace and communal harmony in J&K.
The NIA’s diligent efforts to counter the terror ecosystem and dismantle these conspiracies signify a significant step towards ensuring the safety and security of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The agency’s investigations continue to shed light on the intricate network of terror outfits and their operations, underscoring the need for sustained vigilance and collaborative efforts to combat terrorism effectively.
