NIA conducts multiple raids in J-K's Poonch in Dhangri terror attack case

Jammu: The NIA on Saturday conducted raids on the premises of several suspects in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district in connection with a Lashkar-e-Taiba attack that killed seven civilians in the Dhangri village of Rajouri district earlier this year, an official said.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) raids were conducted at five locations across the Gursai village of Mendhar tehsil in Poonch on the disclosure of two arrested accused, a spokesperson for the central agency said.

The agency arrested Nisar Ahmad alias Haji Nisar and Mushtaq Hussain on August 31. They are currently lodged in Central Jail, Kot Bhalwal, Jammu.

Five people were killed when terrorists opened fire on civilians in the Dhangri village on January 1. Two civilians were killed the following day when an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) left behind by the terrorists exploded.

A case under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Arms Act was initially registered at Rajouri police station. The NIA took over the case on January 13 and is carrying out further investigations.

The spokesperson said NIA teams conducted extensive searches at the locations, which he described as residential premises of overground workers linked with the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Several digital devices and documents containing incriminating data and content have been seized and those are being scrutinised for unravelling the conspiracy, the spokesperson said.

Investigations so far have revealed that both the arrested accused had harboured the terrorists who had carried out the attack.

"They provided logistics support to the terrorists for more than two months and sheltered them in a hideout that they had built," the official said.

"The duo, as per the investigations, had been operating on the directions of Pakistan-based LeT handlers Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt, Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi and Mohd Qasim," the NIA spokesperson added.