Weapons dropping by Pak drones, NIA searches multiple locations in J-K

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has carried out searches in five districts of Jammu and Kashmir in connection with its investigation into dropping of weapons by Pakistani drones along the International Border, an official said.

The searches were carried out at eight locations on Thursday in Jammu, Srinagar, Kathua, Samba, and Doda districts in the case related to interception of a drone used for delivery of consignments of arms, ammunition and explosives by a key module of The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

The TRF operatives were working at the behest of Pakistani handlers, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

"The searches conducted today have led to recovery of various incriminating material, digital devices and documents," the NIA said.

The spokesperson said the TRF operatives were in constant touch with Pakistani handlers of LeT and were receiving weapon consignments and other terrorist hardware via drones in the Indian territory near the International Border in Samba.

"These weapon consignments were being further supplied to TRF terrorists in Kashmir for execution of terrorist attacks on minorities, migrants, and security forces," the official said.

The case was initially registered at Rajbagh Police Station in Kathua on May 29 and was re-registered by NIA on July 30.

Officials in Kathua said the NIA conducted raids on four houses in Marheen area.

Similarly, raids were carried out at a house in Kharoa-Bhalla of Doda district and at Talab Khatikan in Jammu.

Last month, police busted a module of LeT with the arrest of seven of its members, including their leader Faisal Muneer of Khatikan Talab.

According to police, the module was in operation for over two years and was involved in collection and ferrying of weapons and explosives dropped via drones from the Pakistani side along the International Border.