NIA raids house of accused in case related to arms dropped by Pakistani drones

Jammu: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted raids at multiple locations in Jammu, Kathua, Samba and Doda in connection with recovery along the International Border of arms and ammunition dropped via drones controlled through Pakistan.

Officials of the NIA were seen at the residence of Faisal Muneer, the main accused in the drone-dropping case, who was arrested last month.

Jammu and Kashmir Police have made several arrests in recent months in the drone case.

Early on Wednesday morning, the Jammu and Kashmir Police recovered a consignment of arms and ammunition dropped by a Pakistani drone in Jammu's Toph village located near the international border.

According to Police, a case was registered on February 24 this year at Arnia police station regarding the recovery of arms and ammunition dropped by Pakistani drones.

One accused, from Jammu had revealed that a Pakistani prisoner/handler Mohd Ali Hussain alias Qasim has been instrumental in dropping of arms and ammunition via drones controlled by Pakistan and is the main operative of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Al Badr.

He was then brought before court on production from jail and subsequently police remand was taken.

Police said during sustained questioning, the accused confessed to his role in the Arnia weapon drop case and also disclosed two locations where the arms and ammunitions dropped by Pakistan-controlled drones was concealed.
In order to recover the weapons, a police team, along with the magistrate concerned visits the spot.

Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Mukesh Singh said, "Though no recovery was made at the first place but at the second place in Toph village (near the International Border) in Phallian Mandal area, a packet of arms, ammunitions and explosives were recovered. When the packet was being opened, the accused attacked one of the police officials and snatched his service rifle. He fired at the police party and tried to flee from the spot."

"In retaliation, the accused got injured and was shifted to Governmnet Medical College Jammu along with an injured police official. The injured terrorist later succumbed to his injuries," said the official.

The dropped packet was then scrutinized with the help of the Bomb disposal squad. An AK rifle, magazines, 40 AK rounds, a star pistol, pistol rounds, and Chinese small grenades were recovered from the packet.
More details are underway.