The National Investigation Agency said on Tuesday it has arrested a man and his daughter in connection with last year’s terror attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. The NIA alleged that Tariq Ahmed Shah, along with his 23-year-old daughter Insha Jan, had provided shelter to the suicide bomber, Adil Ahmad Dar, and other terrorists.
At least 40 soldiers of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed in the attack on February 14 last year. In retaliation, the Indian Air Force had bombed an alleged Jaish-e-Mohammad camp in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26, 2019. This is the second arrest made by the agency after it had registered a case in the matter last year.
Officials said Shah worked as a driver in South Kashmir and is a resident of Hakripora in Pulwama. According to the NIA, during the initial interrogation, Shah revealed that his house was used by Dar, along with Pakistani terrorist and alleged improvised explosive device-maker Mohammad Umar Farooq, and Sameer Ahmed Dar, a Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorist. Both of them were later killed in military encounters with security forces.
The NIA said the accused also disclosed that his house was used by the terrorists for the preparation and recording of the video of Dar, which was released by the Jaish-e-Mohammad, soon after the attack in Pulwama.
Interrogation also revealed that Shah’s daughter, Insha Jan, provided the terrorists food and other logistical help at her home on more than 15 occasions in 2018 and 2019. She was also in contact with Pakistani terrorist Umar Farooq through telephone and other social media applications, the NIA added.
The agency said that other significant leads are being pursued.
Last week, the NIA arrested 22-year-old Shakir Bashir Magrey for providing shelter and other logistical assistance to Dar. Officials said Magrey was introduced to Dar in 2018 by Pakistani terrorist Mohammad Umar Farooq and later became a full-time overground worker for the outfit.
During the initial interrogation, Magrey had revealed that on several occasions he collected and delivered cash, arms, ammunition and other explosive material to various JeM terrorists, including those involved in Pulwama attack.
Magrey also played an important role in informing Dar and Farooq about the movement of CRPF troops in the area. He was also involved in modifying the Maruti Eeco car, which was used in the attack, and in fitting explosives.
Earlier in February, reports said that an NIA court had granted bail to Yusuf Chopan, an accused in the Pulwama attack, because the agency failed to file a chargesheet in time, and admitted that it did not have evidence. However, the NIA denied this, claiming that the bail was granted to Chopan in another terror conspiracy case.
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