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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday launched searches at various places across two districts of Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) as part of its investigation into Reasi pilgrims terror attack case, the agency said.
According to officials, seven locations in J-K's Reasi and Rajouri districts were extensively searched. The locations searched by the NIA teams were residential premises of hybrid terrorists and Overground Workers (OGWs) as well as the surrounding jungle linked with the hybrid terrorists who stayed in the area, it said. As per NIA investigations, OGWs whose premises were searched were also involved in providing shelter, harbour, food and other logistic support to the terrorists crossing the area, which is one of the transit routes to the Kashmir region, the agency added. Further details are awaited. On June 30 this year, the NIA also searched multiple locations in Rajouri in connection with the Reasi terrorist attack case. Terrorists had opened fire at a bus carrying pilgrims from Shiv Khori to Katra on the evening of June 9 this year in the Pouni area of Reasi, causing the bus to fall into a nearby gorge, killing nine people, including a child. NIA, which took over the investigation on June 15 on orders from the Ministry of Home Affairs, then searched five locations linked with hybrid terrorists and OGWs. The locations were pointed out by the arrested accused, Hakam Khan alias Hakin din. Hakam had provided them with safe shelter, logistics and food, as per NIA investigations. The searches conducted then led to the seizure of various items showing linkages between the terrorists and OGWs. A bus, en route from the Shivkhori shrine to Katra on June 9, came under attack when terrorists opened fire, causing the driver to lose control and the bus to plunge into a gorge. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least nine people and left over 30 others injured. The Jammu and Kashmir police earlier reported that at least two terrorists were involved in the attack. (ANI)
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