NIA files charge sheet in Nagrota terror attack case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday filed a charge sheet against fourteen persons, including Maulana Abdul Rouf Asgar, Deputy Chief of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad and brother of Maulana Masood Azhar, in connection with the November 2016 Nagrota Army camp terror attack.

The charge sheet was filed under sections 120-B, 121, 121-A, 302, 307 and 201 of Ranbir Penal Code (RPC), Sections 17, 18, 19, 20, 38, 39 and 40 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, sections 7, 25 and 27 of Indian Arms Act, sections 3, 4 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act and section 14 of Foreigners Act

An investigation conducted by the NIA revealed that four local Kashmiri Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) members namely Mohd. Ashiq Baba, Syed Munir-Ul-Hassan Qadri, Tariq Ahmad Dar and Ashraf Hamid Khandey (all arrested by NIA) had facilitated a group of three heavily armed Pakistani terrorists and transported them from International Border in Samba-Kathua sector to Hotel Jagdamba in Jammu and subsequently to Nagrota in their vehicles for the attack on the 28th November 2016 on Officers' Mess Complex, 166 Medium Regiment of Indian Army in Nagrota Cantonment (near Jammu).

The three Pakistani JeM terrorists, namely Khalid Abu Hissam, Numan, and Aadil, who were highly trained and equipped with AK-47 rifles and explosives attacked Officers' Mess Complex of 166 Medium Regiment of Army at Nagrota in the wee hours of 29.11.2016 in which Seven Army personnel attained martyrdom and three army personnel were injured. The terrorists were later killed in retaliatory action by the security forces.

The investigation further revealed that Maulana Abdul Rouf Asgar, Deputy Chief of Jaish-e-Mohammad was the mastermind of the Nagrota attack. He worked out the plan of Fidayeen attack and provided training to three Pakistani JeM terrorists. He also directed Mufti Asgar (Launch Commander of JeM in Kashmir region) to provide training, funds, equipment and mobile, and other logistics to local JeM member Mohd. Ashiq Baba.

Accused Mohd Ashiq Baba had visited Pakistan many times and met JeM Terrorists Waseem (Operational commander of JeM), Abu Talha Doctor (Dett commander in Jammu region) and Qari Zarar (Launch commander of JeM for Jammu region).

He also met Mufti Asgar at Muzaffarabad, PoK where he was received by Abdullah and Tariq Mir, both JeM terrorists who are close associates of Mufti Asgar.

During meeting with the top leadership of JeM commanders Mufti Asgar chalked out a detailed plan including the modus operandi to be adopted for infiltration of JeM terrorists and he asked Ashiq to activate local JeM network in Jammu & Kashmir for Jihadi cause. Ashiq Baba was given training at the training centre of JeM at Manshera in Pakistan and handed over money for arranging logistics along with a GPS enabled Huawei mobile phone for communication with JeM leaders in Pakistan.

NIA collected evidence on the basis of the disclosure of the accused, detailed social media analysis, digital evidence through requests under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty and analysis of data extracted from the seized digital devices.

Further investigation in the case is underway.