SRINAGAR: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted raids at several locations in South Kashmir in a new militant outfit case.

The raids were conducted by the sleuths of the NIA at five places in South Kashmir and they were assisted by the Police and Central Reserve Police Force.

The raids began early in the morning and continued for several hours at the houses of hybrid militants and Over Ground Workers of the militants.

A spokesperson of the agency said that NIA conducted raids at five locations in Anantnag, Shopian and Pulwama and seized several digital devices containing massive incriminating data.

The statement read that the locations raided today were residential premises of hybrid militants and OGWs linked with the newly-formed offshoots and affiliates of several banned Kashmiri militant outfits.

“Premises of sympathisers and cadres of these organisations were also raided. All these cadres and workers are being investigated for activities relating to terror, violence and subversion in J&K. NIA suspects their involvement in the collection and distribution of sticky bombs/magnetic bombs, IEDs, funds, narcotic substances and arms/ammunitions,” it read.

It added that J&K terror conspiracy case (RC-05/2022/NIA/JMU) was registered suo moto by NIA on 21st June 2022. “It relates to a physical and online conspiracy by the banned terror organisations to launch a series of violent terrorist attacks in J&K with sticky bombs, IEDs and small arms etc. The Pakistan-backed outfits are also engaged in radicalizing local youth and mobilizing Over Ground Workers, to disturb peace and communal harmony in J&K.”

It further read that as per NIA investigations, Pak-based operatives behind the conspiracy were using various social media platforms to spread terror among the people. “They were also using drones to deliver arms/ammunition, explosives, narcotics etc. to their agents and cadres in the Kashmir valley.”

“The newly floated terror outfits under investigation include The Resistance Front (TRF), United Liberation Front Jammu & Kashmir (ULFJ&K), Mujahideen Gazwat-ul-Hind (MGH), Jammu & Kashmir Freedom Fighters (JKFF), Kashmir Tigers, PAAF and others. These outfits are affiliated to major banned terrorist organisations like Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr, Al-Qaeda, etc,” it said.