NIA arrests key conspirator in 2017 J-K terror attack

The National Investigation Agency on Saturday arrested a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative over his involvement in the 2017 terror attack on a CRPF camp in Lethpora in South Kashmir, officials said.

The accused identified as Syed Hilal Andrabi , an over ground worker of the JeM and is allegedly a key conspirator who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering the terrorists and conducting reconnaissance of the CRPF group centre before the attack was carried out.

During the investigation, the trio which carried out the terror attack in 2017 was identified as Fardeen Ahmad Khandey, Manzoor Baba both residents of Pulwama district and a Pakistani terrorist Abdul Shakoor.

"All three terrorists were killed in the encounter. In this attack, 5 CRPF personnel were martyred and three were grievously injured," a statement from the NIA read.

"After his arrest from Jammu, accused Syed Hilal Andrabi was produced before the competent court and his five days' police custody has been obtained for unearthing the larger conspiracy behind this attack," the statement said.

The terrorist attack on the CRPF group centre occurred on December 31, 2017 by by three terrorists of proscribed terrorist of JeM.

Further investigation in the matter is underway.