NIA arrests another accused involved in delivery of arms sent via drones to militants in J&K

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has said that it arrested another accused Zakir Hussain in the Pakistan-backed terrorism case involving the delivery of weapons through drones to militants active in Jammu and Kashmir.

An NIA spokesperson here said on Tuesday that the agency sleuths arrested Hussain, a resident of Kathua in Jammu and Kashmir, on Monday.

With Hussain's arrest, the total number of accused arrested in the case now stands at eight.

The NIA registered a case on July 30 last year 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 NIA had earlier filed a chargesheet against seven accused and two others who are absconding on January 12 this year under several sections of the UA (P) Act, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and 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 terror attacks in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir," the official said.

The local police had initially registered the case following the interception of a drone (hexacopter) and seizure of several of rounds of UBGL or magnetic bombs near Dhalli area of Rajbagh police station in the Kathua district.

The official added that its probe is still going on to unravel the bigger conspiracy of Pakistan-backed terror groups to carry out acts of terror and violence in the Kashmir Valley and across India.

--IANS

aks/khz