Red Fort Blast Case: NIA Searches JK Hideouts Linked To ‘White Collar’ Terror Module

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday carried out searches at multiple locations in Anantnag and Kulgam districts of Jammu and Kashmir as part of its investigation into the November 10 blast near Delhi's Red Fort, officials said.

According to officials, NIA teams, supported by local police and the CRPF, brought along two accused - Dr. Adeel Rather and Jasir Bilal Wani - who were arrested in connection with a "white collar" terror module. The searches were conducted based on information provided by the two, who disclosed details about hideouts in the Mattan forest area of Anantnag and in Wanpora in Kulgam's Qazigund region.

Earlier in the first week of November, Jammu and Kashmir Police, with assistance from Uttar Pradesh and Haryana Police, had busted the "white collar" terror module. Eight individuals, including three doctors, were arrested, and 2,900 kg of explosives were seized. The interstate network was linked to Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind.

The seized explosives included ammonium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and sulphur. Of the total, 360 kg of inflammable substances, along with arms and ammunition, were recovered from a rented accommodation in Faridabad belonging to one of the accused. Shortly after the module was exposed, an explosives-laden car detonated near Delhi's Red Fort, resulting in 15 deaths.

The investigation intensified after JeM posters were discovered pasted in various spots in Bunpora in Nowgam, Anantnag, eventually leading to the exposure of the larger terror network.