In a fresh crackdown on Jaish, Lashkar fronts, NIA raids 16 locations in J&K

In a fresh crackdown on different terror outfits, including some front organisations of the Pakistan-based jihadist groups Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayyiba, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out raids and search operations at 16 places in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

This is part two of the search operation that began with raids on 12 locations in J&K on 2 May. Officials said that the raids were conducted at the premises of over-ground workers (OGWs), hybrid terrorists and other organisational cadres linked to the newly-formed offshoots and affiliates of several major terror outfits backed by Pakistan and banned by India.

The raids spread over 12 locations in Kashmir’s Anantnag, Srinagar, Budgam, Shopian, Kulgam and Baramulla districts, as well 4 locations in Jammu’s Poonch, Rajouri and Kishtwar districts were continuing till late in the evening.

“The NIA has been investigating the activities of newly floated terrorist groups, such as ‘The Resistance Front’ (TRF), ‘United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULF J&K), ‘Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), ‘Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), ‘Kashmir Tigers, ‘Peoples Anti-Fascist Front’ (PAFF) and others. These outfits are affiliated to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizbul Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr and Al-Qaeda, etc”, the NIA spokesperson said.

“Tuesday’s raids, conducted at 16 locations, were part of the NIA’s investigation into the activities of the OGWs and cadres in support of these new terror outfits. These cadres and workers have been found involved in collection and distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, IEDs, cash, drugs and small weapons, as well as in spreading activities relating to terror, violence and subversion in J&K”, the spokesperson added.

“Investigations have further revealed that Pak-based operatives were using drones to deliver weapons, bombs, drugs etc to their operatives and cadres in the Kashmir valley”, the NIA spokesperson added.

The NIA had earlier on 2 May,2023, conducted raids at 12 locations in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to the seizure of incriminating material and digital devices, in the terror conspiracy case registered suo motu on 21 June, 2022.

“The case (RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU) related to the hatching of a conspiracy, both physical and cyber space, and plans by the proscribed terrorist organisations to unleash violent terrorist attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms”, the NIA spokesperson said.

Previously, this network had offered several locations for thorough searches in attempted acts of terror and violence in association with local youth/over-ground workers to disturb peace and communal disharmony in J&K.  The NIA spokesperson asserted that these raids were part of a larger conspiracy by these terror outfits.

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