A special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has handed down stern sentences to two over ground workers (OGWs) affiliated with the Pakistan Army-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a banned terrorist outfit. Zahoor Ahmed Peer and Nazir Ahmad Peer, both residents of Handwara in Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir, received 15 years' imprisonment each for their pivotal role in aiding a Pakistani terrorist.

The convictions stem from events in 2016, when a heavily armed infiltrator named Bahadur Ali, alias Saifullah, crossed into Indian territory alongside other LeT operatives. The group was equipped with advanced weaponry, explosives, navigation tools, night-vision devices, and communication gear, all intended for a wave of terror strikes across Jammu and Kashmir and beyond, including the national capital, Delhi.

These OGWs provided critical shelter, food, and logistical aid to Bahadur Ali during his time in the Kashmir Valley. Their support extended to arranging clandestine meetings between the infiltrator and fellow Pakistani terrorists, thereby enabling the group's movements and operational planning.

The court found the duo guilty under Sections 18 and 19 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P) Act), warranting 15 years' rigorous imprisonment apiece. An additional nine years was imposed under Section 39 of the same Act, though the terms will run concurrently, capping the sentence at the maximum 15 years.

Each convict has also been fined ₹50,000 under each relevant section, amounting to a total of ₹1,50,000 per individual. This financial penalty underscores the court's resolve to deter such harbouring activities.

The case traces back to a broader LeT conspiracy orchestrated from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and mainland Pakistan. The infiltrating terrorists maintained regular contact with their handlers, receiving directives for attacks within India. Their ambitions unravelled swiftly: Bahadur Ali was apprehended on 25 July 2016, while companions Abu Saad and Abu Darda perished in a security forces encounter.

The NIA lodged a chargesheet against Bahadur Ali in January 2017. Having pleaded guilty, he was convicted in March 2021 and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment under multiple statutes, including the Indian Penal Code (IPC), UA(P) Act, Explosives Act, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act, and Foreigners Act.

Further probes illuminated the Peers' complicity. Investigations revealed their direct assistance in sustaining the terrorist's operations, from basic sustenance to facilitating networking with other militants. The duo was arrested in September 2017 and chargesheeted by the NIA in March 2018.

Conviction came on 18 December 2025, with sentencing delivered on Friday, 13 February 2026. This outcome represents a substantial disruption to LeT's OGW network in Kashmir, which relies on local sympathisers for logistics, intelligence, and safe houses.

Overground workers like the Peers operate covertly, eschewing direct combat to provide essential backend support. Their neutralisation weakens the terror ecosystem, compelling handlers in Pakistan to seek riskier alternatives for infiltration and sustenance.

Security experts view this as a testament to the NIA's persistence in unravelling transnational terror modules. The agency's raids, often conducted in volatile areas like Srinagar's outskirts, have yielded vital intelligence, as evidenced by ongoing vigilance in the region.

The judgment arrives amid heightened border tensions, with frequent infiltration bids reported along the Line of Control (LoC). Pakistani terror groups, backed by elements within its military, continue probing Indian defences, particularly in Kupwara and Handwara sectors.

This sentencing bolsters India's counter-terrorism framework under the UA(P) Act, empowering stringent action against enablers. It sends a clear message to potential collaborators: harbouring terrorists invites severe retribution.

As Jammu and Kashmir navigates its security challenges post-Article 370 abrogation, such judicial hammer blows fortify efforts to dismantle radical networks. The LeT's ambitions for mayhem in the Valley and mainland India have been thwarted once more, thanks to coordinated intelligence and legal precision.

The convicts' decade-and-a-half incarceration will likely deter others in the OGW cadre, who thrive on anonymity and community ties. Meanwhile, Bahadur Ali's prior conviction closes a key chapter in this 2016 saga, though vigilance remains paramount against evolving threats from across the border.

ANI