A team from the NIA Jammu Branch nabbed 22-year-old, identified as Zakir Hussain of Kathua district on Monday. He is the 8th accused to be arrested in the case registered by the NIA on July 30, 2022 after taking over the case from 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 chargesheeted by NIA on 12th January 2023, under Sections 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 militants active in the Kashmir valley. The weapons were used to commit terrorist attacks in Jammu and Kashmir.
The local police had initially registered the case following the interception of a drone (Hexacopter) and seizure of several of rounds of UBGL / Magnetic Bombs near Dhalli area of PS 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.
