NIA takes over Nagrota encounter case

Four heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed on November 19 in Nagrota in a swift operation by the security forces.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday took over the Ban Toll Plaza encounter case which took place near Nagrota on November 19.

File photo: Security officials after the encounter in which four suspected Jaish-e-mohammad terrorists were killed by security forces after they were found hiding in a truck on Srinagar National Highway near Nagrota in Jammu and Kashmir. (HT Photo)

Four heavily armed Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorists were killed on November 19 in Nagrota in a swift operation by the security forces.

The case was handed over to the NIA following a notification issued by the Central government.

“An FIR has been registered in Jammu Police Station of the NIA on Wednesday,” said an official.

It may be recalled that an NIA team had visited the site of encounter at Ban Toll Plaza on November 19 itself. The team had recorded statements of the eyewitness and police officers.

The NIA is already probing the encounter in Nagrota which took place on January 31, 2020, in which three terrorists from Jaish-e-Mohammed were killed at the same toll plaza.

“The Central Government received information regarding registration of FIR No. 0045/2020, registered at PS Nagrota, District Jammu, 307, 120B, 121, 122, 123 of IPC, sections 7, 25, 26 & 27 of Arms Act and sections 16 & of the UA(P) Act, 1967, relating to an encounter between the police party and unknown terrorists who were travelling in a truck bearing registration No. JK03F-1478 at Ban Toll Plaza in PS Nagrota, District Jammu during which three militants were killed and three of their accomplices including the driver of the Truck were arrested,” NIA case details read.

The encounter between terrorists and security forces started around 4.50 am at Ban Toll Plaza on Jammu-Srinagar national highway. Within three hours, the four Jaish terrorists were killed inside the truck that was ferrying them to Kashmir.

The slain ultras had used a trans-border tunnel from Chak Bhura post of Pak Rangers that opened up near Regal post of the BSF in Samba sector.

Subsequently, they had boarded a Kashmir-bound truck on Pathankot-Jammu national highway.