The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested another accused in the Pakistan-backed dropping of weapons through drones for terrorists in Kashmir.
A team from the NIA Jammu Branch nabbed 22-year-old Zakir Hussain of district Kathua. He is the eighth accused to be arrested in the case (RC-06/2022/NIA/JMU), registered by the NIA on 30 July 2022 after taking over the case from the Kathua Police. One of the seven accused arrested earlier had died due to cardiac arrest while in judicial custody while two Pakistan-based terror operatives are absconding.
The seven arrested accused and the two absconders were earlier charge-sheeted by NIA on 12 January 2023, under Sec 16, 17, 18, 18B, 20, 23, 38, 39 & 40 of UA (P) Act, 1967, sections 25(1)(a) & 25(1AA) of the Arms Act, sections 4 & 5 of the Explosive Substances Act and sections 120B, 121A & 122 of the IPC.
According to NIA investigations, the accused were working on the directions of their Pakistani handler, identified as Sajjad Gul. The accused were involved in collecting, receiving and transporting the weapons dropped through drones to terrorists active in the Kashmir valley. The weapons were used to commit terrorist attacks in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir.
The local police had initially registered the case following interception of a drone (Hexacopter) and seizure of several rounds of UBGL, Magnetic Bombs near Dhalli area of Police Station Rajbagh in District Kathua.
NIA is continuing with its investigations in the matter to unravel the bigger conspiracy of Pakistan-backed terrorist groups to carry out acts of terror and violence in the Kashmir valley and across India.