NIA raids eight locations across J&K; incriminating materials seized [details]

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday raided and searched eight locations in Jammu and Kashmir in a case related to the recovery of improvised explosive devices in Jammu's Bathindi area in June this year.

Sleuths of the NIA, with the assistance of the police and the CRPF, conducted searches in Anantnag, Baramulla, Kulgam, Srinagar, Doda, and Kishtwar, an NIA spokesman said. During the searches, many digital devices and other incriminating materials have been recovered from the premises of the suspects.

The case was initially registered as FIR No 0234/2021 dated 27.06.2021 of Police Station Bahu Fort Jammu, relating the recovery of 5kgs IED from a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in Bathindi, Jammu. The conspiracy by LeT was aimed at causing an explosion in Jammu using the IED.

The case was later handed over to the NIA which had re-registered the case as RC-04/2021/NIA/JMU dated 19.07.2021. NIA had earlier arrested three persons in this case. Investigation revealed that Pakistan-based handlers of proscribed terror outfit LeT and their associates based in J&K are planning terrorist activities in J&K using the pseudo-acronym TRF to maintain plausible deniability.

IEDs recovered on same day when Satwari Air Force Station was attacked by drones

On June 27, a 6-kg IED (improvised explosive device) was recovered from a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in Bathindi. On the same day, Satwari station of the Indian Air Force was rocked with drone attacks.

Initial investigations had confirmed that recovery of such a huge cache of explosive material averted a major terror attack in Jammu, which was earlier rocked by a drone attack at Satwari Airport station on the same day.

LeT using the pseudo name of TRF

Even as The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for recent killings in Kashmir Valley, it is established that Pakistan-based handlers of proscribed terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has been using the pseudo name of TRF to take responsibility for the terror strikes in Jammu and Kashmir aimed at maintaining "plausible deniability and evade Law Enforcement Agencies".

As per reports, The Resistance Front (TRF), which is backed by Pakistani handlers, is an offshoot of the LeT and it has taken the responsibility for various terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir in the recent past. Jammu and Kashmir Police are even probing cases against the wing.

Run by local Kashmiri residents having affiliation to LeT and other terror groups, TRF is a face-saving wing of the outlawed terror organization being named in terrorist acts. The NIA recently got inputs against the TRF as its name came during an investigation of Bathindi IEDs recovery case.