NIA arrests militant 'associate' in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Thursday arrested an alleged supporter of Hizbul Mujahideen outfit, who was ‘providing’ logistic support to militants in Kishtwar area of Jammu region.

In a statement, a spokesperson of the probe agency said: "Yesterday (17.02.2021), the NIA arrested a militant harbourer and logistics provider of Hizbul Mujahideen namely Taraq Hussain Giri of Pochhal, Kishtwar J&K in case RC-08/2019/NIA/JMU (snatching of service rifle from escort in-charge of DM Kishtwar)."

"The case was initially registered as FIR no. 31/2019 of Kishtwar PS on 08.03.2019 under sections 392 RPC, sections 7, 25 & 30 of Arms Act and sections 16,18 20 &23 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act relating to snatching of service weapon from escort in charge of DM, Kishtwar," he said.

The NIA re-registered the case on November 2, 2019, and took over the investigation.

“The accused Taraq was arrested for harbouring and providing logistical support to HM militants namely Osama Bin Javed and Haroon Abbas Wani in the second week of March 2019 after the militants snatched the service rifle from the escort in charge,” the statement said.

“This incident of weapon snatching was one of the four incidents of militant acts committed by HM terrorists in the period from November 2018 to September 2019,” it said and added that the accused was produced before the Special NIA Court, Jammu and taken on police remand for five days for further examination.