Srinagar: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday attached the property of a Hizbul Mujahideen commander based in Pakistan, Basit Reshi in Sopore area of north Kashmir, officials said here.
Basit, affiliated with Pak based militant organization – Hizbul Mujahideen and a resident of Hardshiva in Sopore was declared as a designated “Terrorist” under the UAPA (a stringent act legislated to control militant activities) by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently. The NIA stated that Basit is currently working for TRF.
An official told a local news gathering agency that the immovable property (Agriculture land) around 09 marlas falling under the Khasra No. 1962, 1945 at Edipora in Zaingeer Tehsil was attached by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) who were accompanied by the Jammu and Kashmir Police by the order of Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India dated 13/02/2023.
Basit, who as per the officials is currently in Pakistan, was involved in subversive activities and coordinating target killings in Jammu and Kashmir. “Basit had planned and executed an attack on a police guard post at Tujar Sharief on August 18, 2015, in which police personnel and a civilian were killed,” they said.
Reshi is presently involved in the activities of The Resistance Front (TRF). He manages and supplies arms/ammunition as well as funds for TRF from across the border, they added.
“Basit was 14-years-old, a class 9th student when he left his home and since then they have had no input from him. Even in the year 2017, the rumors of Basit being killed by some unknown gunmen were also doing rounds, but God knows better where he is,” said Reshi’s family.
Pertinently, this is the second such action by the NIA teams.
Earlier on Thursday, it attached the property of Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar alias ‘Latram’ – founder and chief commander of Al-Umar Mujahideen in Nowhatta area of Srinagar.
Meanwhile, in a handout, NIA said that “continuing the strong action against terrorists operating from Pakistan soil, the NIA has attached the property of Basit Ahmad Reshi s/o Mohd Ramzan Reshi located in district Baramulla. This action closely follows the attachment of the Srinagar based property of Mushtaq Zargar alias Latram, the founder and Chief Commander of Al-Umar Mujahideen yesterday.”
“Basit Ahmad Reshi is a ‘listed terrorist’ under the UA(P) Act and has been operating from Pakistan after his exfiltration to Pakistan. He has been found funding terror activities and acts in the valley,” it reads.
“Basit Ahmad Reshi joined the militant ranks in 2015 and was involved in planning & execution of a terror attack at Police Guard Post in Sopore that killed one Constable and injured others. Basit was earlier associated with the banned terrorist outfit Hizbul-Mujahideen and later exfiltrated to Pakistan. Basit Ahmad Reshi is presently involved in terror activities of The Resistance Front (TRF) and manages & supplies arms/ammunition as well as funds for TRF from across the border.”
“Reshi’s agriculture land measuring 9.25 Marlas has been attached under the provisions of UA(P) Act. Representatives of the State government and State Police assisted the NIA in the Attachment process.”
“Till date, NIA has attached the properties of 5 designated terrorists, namely US based Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, Canada based Hardeep Singh Nijjar, and Pakistan based terrorists-Mushtaq Zargar alias Latram, Basit Ahmad Pir and KCF (Panjwar) Paramjit Singh alias Panjwar.”
“In addition, NIA recently attached, under UAPA, the Hurriyat Office in Srinagar, which was owned in part by Nayeem Khan, an accused chargesheeted by the NIA in the Hurriyat Terror Funding case.” (KNO)