Srinagar: The NIA (National Investigation Agency) attached (the legal term for seizure) property and land of two militants under UAPA, both are natives of Kashmir valley and based in Pakistan including the Resistance Front (TRF) operative Basit Ahmad Reshi and the chief of the Al-Umar Mujahideen, Mushtaq Zargar alias ‘Latram.’
As per reports, Reshi’s more than 9 marlas of land was seized in North Kashmir’s Baramulla district and the Zargar’s residential house built on two marlas was seized in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar city.
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Zargar was shot to fame in 1989 for his role in the abduction of Rubaiya Sayeed, daughter of the then Union home minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He made it to international headlines when he, along with Jaish chief Masood Azhar and Harkat-ul-Mujahideen chief Omar Saeed Sheikh, was released in exchange for a hijacked Indian Airlines plane in the Afghan city of Kandahar in 1999.
Zargar is reported to be living in Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
As per the neighbours, the two-marla land, along with a house, was under the possession of two brothers of Zargar, who lived there with their families. An NIA team, along with J&K Police and the CRPF men, arrived at Nowhatta in the morning and sealed the house.
“Zargar’s two-marla house at Ganai Mohalla, Jamia Masjid, Nowhatta, Srinagar, has been attached under the provisions of UAPA. The procedure was carried out on Thursday by a team of NIA along with the representative of the district administration and local police. Zargar is a designated individual terrorist under the UAPA and has been operating from Pakistan ever since his release and has been funding terror activities in the Valley,” the NIA said in a statement.
Moreover, Reshi, a “listed terrorist” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and accused of operating from Pakistan after his exfiltration there.
The NIA said Reshi’s agricultural land measuring 9.25 marlas has been attached under the provisions of the UAPA with the assistance of revenue and police officials.
“He has been found funding militant activities and acts in the Kashmir Valley,” a National Investigation Agency (NIA) spokesperson said.
The official said Reshi had joined militant ranks in 2015 and was involved in planning and executing an attack on a police guard post in Sopore that killed a constable and injured others.
“He was earlier associated with banned outfit Hizbul-Mujahideen and at present, is involved in militant activities of the TRF, managing supplies of arms and ammunition as well as funds for the militant group from across the border,” the spokesperson said.
Notably, the police have started attaching properties of nearly 168 militants who belong to different districts of Jammu and Kashmir but have been operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.
The Ministry of Home Affairs recently directed the J-K police to initiate action against such militants, including 118 from Doda, 36 from Kishtwar and 14 from Rajouri and Poonch districts. The action was sought after attacks on the Hindu community in different parts of J-K.