Charges framed against former cop for attack on CRPF convoy

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 13

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today said it had filed a supplementary chargesheet in a case relating to an attack on the CRPF convoy at Banihal in March 2019 against Hizb-ul-Mujahideen terrorist Naveed Mushtaq Shah, a former constable of the Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police, in a special court in Jammu.

The charges were framed under various sections of the Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), Explosive Substances Act, Jammu and Kashmir Public Property (Prevention of Damage) Act and Unlawful Activities (Pervention) Act (UAPA), NIA officials said.

Banihal incident

The case relates to an attack on the CRPF convoy at Tethar, Banihal, Ramban district, J&K, by a terrorist who had exploded an explosive-laden Santro car on March 30, 2019 with the intention of killing security personnel and waging war against the Government of India. —National Investigation Agency

In the chargesheet it has been alleged that accused Naveed, who is a former constable of the J&K Police, had deserted the force with arms and ammunition in 2017, when he was posted as a guard on the Food Corporation of India (FCI) premises in Budgam, the officials said, adding that he later joined the terror group Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and became its active member.

“Investigation has established that accused Naveed was actively involved in the planning and execution of the attack on the CRPF convoy in Banihal along with other terrorists Riyaz Ahmed Naikoo, Rayees Ahmed Khan and Dr Saifullah Mir, who were subsequently killed in encounters with security forces,” a senior NIA official said.

Deceased terrorists Sahil Abdullah Bhat, Adil Bashir Sheikh and Zubair Ahmed Wani were also actively involved in the preparation of the explosives that went into the making of the IED,” he said, adding that the charges had also been abated against the deceased terrorists involved in the conspiracy.