Pakistani handler, 2 others chargesheeted by NIA in 2024 J&K terror conspiracy case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted three accused, including a Pakistani handler in a terror conspiracy case involving seizure of arms and ammunition in the Poonch region of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K).

The accused — identified as Abdul Aziz, Munawar Hussain and Nazir Hussain — have been charged under Section 61(2) of the BNS, 2023 R/w Section 13, 17, 18, 20, 23 and 38 of the UA(P) ACT, 1967, as amended, and Section 3/25 of the Arms Act, 1959.

Nazir Hussain, currently active in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK), is an operative of the banned Jammu and Kashmir Gazanavi Force (JKGF) terrorist organisation.

As per NIA investigations, he was involved in motivating vulnerable people of Kashmir to engage in acts of violence as part of the larger conspiracy hatched by various proscribed terrorist organisations and their associates to carry out terrorist activities in the region.

Nazir would share inflammatory audio clips and video notes with local sympathisers of the terror outfits, inciting them to pursue Jihad and wage a war against India. He also provided them with arms, ammunition and hand grenades to carry out the violent agenda of the terrorist organisations seeking to spread terror among people.

The case was registered by the NIA on the basis of an FIR of October 2024, when a policy party at Surankote, Poonch, had apprehended Abdul Aziz and seized two grenades from his bag. His interrogation had led to the arrest of Munawar Hussain, from whom one pistol with one magazine and nine rounds was seized.

Subsequent investigations had revealed that both the accused were in contact with handler Nazir, exposing a conspiracy from across the border to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir through acts of violence aimed at disrupting the region’s communal harmony and peace.