Lagatar24 Desk
Srinagar, Aug 31: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday said that eight absconding terrorists and their associates had been apprehended, almost thirty years after they first went on the run.
The agency said in its statement that the accused terrorists were allegedly involved in “serious crimes of terrorism” and disruptive activities in connection with Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, (TADA) cases.
With inputs from the Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Crime Investigation Department, the SIA was able to apprehend the accused terrorists.
The agency stated that the mentioned absconding terrorists will be presented before the TADA / POTA court in Jammu, in accordance with the warrants issued for their arrest.
According to the agency, the accused were charge-sheeted in the TADA court in Jammu.
Around thirty years ago, the cases were reported in several Doda district police stations.
“These absconding terrorists had managed to escape from the clutches of the law for decades by going underground and remaining untraced for some time and then resurfaced to enjoy normal family life at their native or some distant places. Some of these terrorist absconders have managed to get Government services and contracts, others found engaged in private businesses and even working in the Court,” stated the agency in its statement.
The agency has identified the captured group of eight absconding terrorists as follows: Adil Farooq, who resides in Jammu and is presently employed by the JK Board of School Education; Mohammad Iqbal, also known as Javed, along with Mujahid Hussain, alias Nisar Ahmed, Tariq Hussain, Ishtiaq Ahmad Dev, and Ishfaq Ahmad (serving as a writer at the Court Complex in Doda); all residents of Doda district. Additionally, Ajaz Ahmed, alias Mohd Iqbal, and Jameel Ahmad, alias Chika Khan, both hail from Bhaderwah.
Out of 734 absconders—317 in Jammu and 417 in Kashmir—SIA has so far verified and identified 369 (215 in Jammu and 154 in Kashmir) in 327 TADA/POTA cases.
“Out of 369 verified absconders, 127 remained untraced, 80 have died, 45 are residing in Pakistan/Pakistan occupied Kashmir and other countries abroad and 4 are lodged in jail,” the agency statement said.
