NIA Searches 15 Locations in J&K in 2 Cases; LeM Terrorist Held

NIA arrested Irfan Ahmed Dar, who provided arms and ammunition for Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM) terrorists.

Image for representation purpose

(Photo: PTI)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday, 31 July carried out searches at 15 locations in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with two cases and arrested Irfan Ahmed Dar, who provided logistical support and also arranged arms and ammunition for Lashkar-e-Mustafa (LeM) terrorists.

An NIA spokesperson said that the anti-terror probe agency carried out searches at nine locations in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with the LeM case, which it registered in March this year, besides raiding six places in connection with the recovery of 5 kg IED from a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in Jammu on 27 June.

The official said that in the LeM case, the NIA, along with J&K police and CRPF, conducted searches at nine locations in Shopian, Anantnag and Jammu districts.

The official further said that the NIA recovered many digital devices, including mobile phones, hard disks, memory cards, pen drives and laptops, along with several booklets containing incriminating materials from the premises of the arrested accused and the suspects in the case.

"Subsequent to the searches, Dar, a resident of Anantnag, was arrested on Saturday," the official said.

The official added that preliminary investigation has revealed that Dar was involved in the conspiracy of carrying out terrorist activities in collusion with other accused.

Another NIA official told IANS, "Dar provided logistical support to the members of the newly formed LeM. He was also instrumental in procuring arms and ammunition and then providing them to the LeM terrorists."

The NIA had reportedly registered a case in connection with the conspiracy hatched by LeM and its chief, Hidayat-ullah Malik, who recced the office of National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, working at the behest of Pakistan-based proscribed terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), to carry out terrorist activities in Jammu in March this year.

Last week, the NIA had purportedly arrested two LeM terrorists - Mohammaf Arman Ali aka Arman Mansuri, and Mohammad Ehsanullah aka Guddu Ansari - both residents of Bihar's Saran district.

The duo was allegedly involved in transportation of two separate consignments of illegal arms and ammunition from Bihar to Mohali and Ambala.

"The said weapons were further transported to Hidayat Ullah Malik, a self-declared commander-in-chief of LeM in Jammu and Kashmir," the official said.

The case was originally registered on 6 February this year in Jammu in connection with a conspiracy hatched by the members of LeM, an offshoot of Jaish-e-Mohammed, to carry out terrorist activities in J&K with an intention to threaten the sovereignty, integrity and security of India.

The NIA had taken over the probe on 2 March.