New Delhi: In a major breakthrough against those overseas perpetrators supporting militant activities in Kashmir, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested a person after his arrival at the Jammu Airport in connection with a case of infiltration of militants in Poonch and smuggling of narcotics.
Officials in the probe agency said accused Shahid Naveed, who has been arrested upon his arrival in Jammu, is from Mendhar in Poonch district and is alleged to be a close associate of Sher Ali, the main coordinator and facilitator of terrorist activities of various groups in the area. Ali was arrested on February 17, and Naveed,s name came up during his interrogation, they added.
Both Ali and Naveed were operating from Kuwait, and their involvement in militant activities surfaced during the investigation of a case lodged in Mendhar police station last year following the killing of two Pakistani militants affiliated with the JK Ghaznavi Force in an encounter at Surankote in Poonch on December 13, the officials said, adding that after Ali’s arrest in February, the NIA took over the case.
It is learnt from sources in the security set up that Naveed has been deported from a Gulf country and was brought to India under strict supervision. He was flown to Jammu for handing over to the national anti- terror probe agency.
Ali headed a network of over-ground workers who were behind smuggling of arms and ammunition, besides narcotics.
Earlier, five over ground workers – Mushtafa, Mohd Yaseen, Younis, Irfan and Raskeem – were arrested for their involvement in the terror network led by Ali. A huge cache of arms and ammunition, including five pistols, 13 grenades and one live improvised explosive device (IED), had been recovered from them, the NIA officials said.
