The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday took over the investigation into the Nagrota terror attack of November 29 that killed seven soldiers of the Indian Army following an order by the Union Home Ministry.
"The Nagrota terror attack case has been handed over to the NIA for investigation," Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi told reporters on Wednesday.
The NIA registered a fresh FIR in New Delhi in connection with the attack on the army camp a day after the order by the ministry. It said, in the FIR, that the identity of the terrorists was still unknown but they carried out the attack on the directions of their "foreign handlers."
"Some heavily armed unknown terrorists, on the directions of their foreign handlers, entered into the Army Camp at Nagrota, near the Baleeni Bridge, and started indiscriminate firing upon Army personnel," an NIA statement said.
The statement added that a team comprising NIA officials would reach the attack scene in Jammu shortly to begin investigation.
"The actions of the terrorists constitute scheduled offences under Sections 16,18 and 20 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act. A team of officers of the NIA shall be reaching Jammu shortly to visit the crime scene and commence the investigation," the NIA statement said adding that the FIR would also be submitted before a special court in Jammu.
The Jammu and Kashmir Police had also registered a case in the matter earlier. The CID wing of the police will hand over all the evidence collected so far to the NIA.
Media reports had previously said that the Indian Army was unwilling to hand over the probe to the NIA asking the agency to produce a "specific brief." The army also made it clear that it would investigate the "operational and tactical aspects."
A group of heavily armed terrorists disguised as policemen stormed into an army camp located three kilometres from the Corps Headquarters at Nagrota on November 29 and killed seven soldiers of the Indian Amry, including two officers.
