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J-K SIA conducts raids in Kashmir in a militancy network case
The agency, which was formed to investigate ‘terror-related cases’ in the union territory, raided many places across three districts of south Kashmir and Baramulla district in north Kashmir
SRINAGAR The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir Police on Tuesday conducted raids at multiple locations in four districts of Kashmir valley in a militancy network case filed under various sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) and IPC this year.
The agency, which was formed to investigate ‘terror-related cases’ in the union territory, raided many places across three districts of south Kashmir and Baramulla district in north Kashmir.
“Continuing to rein in the networks of terror outfits, SIA today conducted searches at multiple locations spread across the valley,” the agency said in a statement.
The SIA sleuths ‘house searched’ the premises of various “suspects” in Pulwama, Awantipora (a separate police district in Pulwama), Shopian, Anantnag in south Kashmir and Baramulla in the north.
“(The searches were made) in connection with the investigation of case FIR No. 16/2022 u/s 13, 18, 19, 38, 39, 40 UA(P) Act read with 120-B, 121 IPC registered in Police Station CIK (SIA), Kashmir,” it said.
During the searches, the agency said, incriminating materials, mobile phones and other articles having “bearing on the investigation” were recovered and seized.
“Analysis of the data would follow and leads that would emerge would become the basis for further investigation,” the agency said.
The SIA said that the case pertains to what it said was a “terrorist grid active in the valley”. “The searches are aimed at dismantling the terror ecosystem in the valley by identifying overground workers supporting and abetting terrorism,” it added.
The agency claimed that the details that are being investigated at the initial stage also include people in Pakistan.
“(They) include masterminds in Pakistan, who with the active support of Pakistani Intelligence Agencies and in connivance with a proscribed terrorist organization(s) of JeM based in Pakistan have been activating their overground workers (OGWs) in J&K for initiating, organizing and executing terror activities in J&K,” the SIA statement said.
“The Pakistani masterminds have been comprehensively identified. Their particulars, however, are being kept confidential because other agents connected with them are not alerted,” it said.
The SIA was formed last year for fast-track investigations in militancy cases and also to coordinate with other state and central probing agencies. Since the beginning of this year, the agency has filed multiple cases into militant networks, their alleged supporters and overground workers, funding, and misuse of SIM cards.
