NIA arrests 5th accused in CRPF Group Centre attack

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested Irshad Ahmad Reshi in connection with the attack on CRPF Group Centre at Lethpora in 2017.

According to police, he is the fifth accused to have been arrested in the case. His arrest comes close on the heels of disclosures made by Nisar Ahmed Tantray and Syed Hilal Andrabi, who were arrested earlier.

Reshi, a resident of Pulwama, will be produced before the special NIA Court here on Monday.

Police said Reshi was an active over ground worker (OGW) of the proscribed terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). He was a close associate of slain terrorist and JeM commander Noor Mohammad Tantray, said police.

"The attack on CRPF Group Centre was executed under a conspiracy to avenge the death of Noor Trali, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in December 2017," police said.

The accused Reshi was a key a conspirator, who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering and transport to the terrorists, who carried out the audacious terror attack.

In 2017, the attack was carried out by three terrorists belonging to JeM. In this attack, five CRPF personnel were killed, while three others were grievously injured.

Three terrorists--involved in the attack--Fardeen Ahmad Khandey, Manzoor Baba and Abdul Shakoor were also eliminated during the encounter.