The National Investigation Agency on Saturday conducted raids across Jammu and Kashmir in connection with two cases, reported India Today. One case was connected to the blasts at the Jammu Air Force Station in June and another was linked to terror group Lashkar-e-Mustafa.
The central agency conducted the raids at 14 locations, including six in Shopian, four in Anantnag and two in Banihal in the Kashmir region and two in the Sunjwan area in Jammu.
On June 27, two low-intensity blasts had taken place in the Jammu Air Force Station that caused minor damage to the roof of a building. The police suspect that drones were used to drop explosive material, but the Indian Air Force did not confirm this.
Two Indian Air Force personnel were injured in the attack. The police had arrested two persons in connection with the case.
Security forces have been on alert since then. In the following two weeks, at least six suspected unmanned aerial vehicle were spotted in the Indian territory, according to NDTV. Srinagar and Rajouri banned the sale and possession of drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles.
On June 26, a drone was spotted over the premises of the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. The Ministry of External Affairs had confirmed the incident and said that India officially took up the matter with Pakistan.
India had also lodged a protest on July 24 over the alleged drone activities in Jammu areas during a sector commander-level meeting between the Border Security Force and the Pakistan Rangers, reported PTI.
Chief of Army Staff General Manoj Mukund Naravane had said on July 1 that the easy availability of drones had made security challenges more complex, adding that India was preparing to counter the threats.
On Saturday, officials said that the other case prompting NIA’s raids is related to the Lashkar-e-Mustafa’s plans to “carry out terrorist activities in Jammu area with the aim of threatening the sovereignty and integrity of India”, reported NDTV. The terror organisation is working on the behest of Jaish-e-Mohammed, the officials said.
Hidayatullah, the chief of Lashkar-e-Mustafa, was arrested on February 6 from Jammu. The NIA had registered the case in connection with the planned terror activities in March.
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