NIA files chargesheet against IS militants

Samaan Lateef
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, May 22

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a chargesheet in an attempted attack on security forces by Islamic State Jammu Kashmir (ISJK) militants at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) in Srinagar.

“The NIA on Wednesday filed a chargesheet in a case, which relates to an attempt to carry out an attack on a police party at the TRC, Srinagar, on November 24 last year by terrorists belonging to the ISJK,” a spokesperson for the NIA said.

Soon after attack, the police had arrested Tahir Ahmad Khan of Chandrigam Tral, Pulwama, Haris Mushtaq Khan of Wathura, Budgam, and Asif Suhail Nadaf of Rainawari, Srinagar, for their alleged involvement in the attack.

During the search, the NIA said two pistols, 14 live rounds and three hand grenades were recovered from their possession along with an ISIS flag.

The NIA said the arrested persons were active cadres of the ISJK, the Kashmir-based terrorist affiliate of the proscribed international terrorist organisation, ISIS.

“The investigation unearthed a larger conspiracy of the terrorist elements propagating pan-Islamic ideology of the ISIS by recruiting and radicalising Kashmiri youth towards jihad and targeting security forces,” the NIA said.

During further investigation, the NIA arrested another accused Asif Majid Khan of Hawal, Srinagar, on December 25 last year for his involvement in harbouring the other co-accused persons.

The NIA said an illegal 12-bore single-barrel gun without number and two KF-12 cartridges were recovered on his disclosure. The NIA said the three other accused persons in the case — Ishfaq Ahmad Sofi, Pervez Ahmad Bhat and Asif Nazir Dar — were killed during encounters between the ISJK cadres and security forces across the Kashmir valley.

The NIA spokesperson said the chargesheet had been filed in the Special NIA Court, Jammu, against the four accused under the RPC, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Arms Act.