JJ CORRESPONDENT
Srinagar, July 20: The National Investigation Agency on Wednesday carried out multiple raids in Kashmir during the probe of recovery of 15 pistols and other ammunition in Srinagar in May this year, officials said.
They said the NIA investigators, along with the Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF personnel, carried out searches at nine locations in Kashmir that included four in Srinagar and five in Pulwama districts.
“Searches conducted today at the premises of accused and suspects in the case have led to the recovery and seizure of digital devices and other incriminating material,” a spokesperson of NIA said, adding that further investigation in the case was in progress.
On May 23, J&K Police arrested two hybrid militants of Resistance Front, a shadow group of Lashkar-e-Taiba in Chanapora area of Srinagar and recovered 15 pistols, 30 magazines and 300 rounds from their possession.
Later, two more suspects were apprehended and a four-wheeler was seized.
The case was initially registered by the J&K police and it was re-registered by NIA on June 18, to widen the investigations in the recoveries of large arms and ammunition
After the recovery of 15 pistols, Police had said it averted possible target killings of innocent people, particularly in Srinagar city.
Of late, militants have been relying more on portable pistols. A large number of small arms have been recovered this year and police have been saying that it is a clear indication that militants are now more into target killings, which has emerged as a major challenge for the entire security grid. UNI
