NIA RAIDS HOUSES OF MILITANTS, ASSOCIATES IN KASHMIR

SRINAGAR: The National Investigative Agency (NIA) officials on Wednesday conducted multiple raids on the houses of active militants and some overground workers in Pulwama and Budgam districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Officials said raids were conducted in Karimabad, Drubgam and Kakapora villages of Pulwama district. Since militancy related cases were handed over to the NIA, officials investigating these have been frequently conducting raids in different parts of Kashmir.

An official said raids were conducted at the house of an active militant identified as Zahid Ahmad in Karimabad. Zahid Ahmad is affiliated with the Jaish-e-mohammad. The NIA officials were accompanied by police and CRPF personnel.

House of an overground worker was also raided at Drubgam in the same district. Sources said two more raids were conducted on the houses of an active militant Adil and one of the slain militants in Kakapora area of Pulwama.

Locals said security forces searched the houses and questioned some of the inmates.

An official told HT that these raids were part of an investigation of a militancy-related case which is being currently probed by the NIA.

Last month, the investigation agency had conducted similar raids in south Kashmir after three militants were arrested along with deputy superintendent of police Davinder Singh on the Jammu-srinagar national highway.

The NIA also conducted a raid in Budgam district of central Kashmir. The officials did not respond to queries about the raids.