Weeks after Poonch attack, NIA raids in J&K

In a major crackdown, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted raids at multiple locations in Jammu and Kashmir.

A source tells OneIndia that the raids are being carried out in central and south Kashmir. Raids have also been carried out in Poonch and Rajouri.

The raids are taking place just a few weeks after the Poonch attack in which five soldiers were killed. The attack is believed to have been engineered by seven to eight terrorists on April 20.

Investigations have shown that the terrorists hid under a culvert on the road, following which they launched the attack. The Army trucks was carrying fruits and vegetables ate the Sangiote village from Bhimber Gali for Iftar to be organised by the Rashtriya Rifles, the probe also found.

The source also said that the terrorists carried out the attack with the support of some locals.So far over 200 persons have been questioned by the probe agencies.

While the terrorists are still at large, a religious cleric was detained by the police for questioning. Molvi Manzoor from Madrassa, Markaz -Ul-Marrif was arrested from Jammu city on the suspicion that he has links with those involved in the Poonch terror attack. His name had cropped up during the questioning of the others who have been detained in connection with this case.

The police have so far detained nearly 250 persons which seven have been formally arrested. Most others have been released after questioning.

J&K police chief, Dilbag Singh said that six terrorists that included an entire family of one of the them colluded on the instructions of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and provided logistic support that included arms, ammunition, grenades and cash dropped by a drone from Pakistan.

"We believe that terrorists have been in this area for the past couple of months and they were shifting their hideouts from one place to another," Singh said.

It is also believed that the terrorists lived in the natural caves of the jungles of Bhat Dhurian for three months.