2022 Sarpanch killing: NIA attaches property of Hizbul Mujahideen associate

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday attached the property of an associate of the terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen in Jammu & Kashmir’s Shopian District in connection with the murder of a Sarpanch there.

A statement from the anti-terror agency said on Friday, “Continuing with efforts to dismantle the terror ecosystem, the NIA on Friday attached the property of an Overground Worker (OGW) of the Kashmir terror outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) in the case of the targeted killing of the Adoora-Kulgam Sarpanch.”

The NIA statement further said that Nasir Rashid Bhat’s property including a residential house at village Tengpora in Shopian has been attached under Section 33 (1) of UA(P) Act, 1947, on orders of the NIA Special Judge, Jammu.

“The accused, along with other members of the banned HM terrorist organisation was involved in the killing of the Sarpanch on March 11, 2022 with the aim of spreading terror among the people. “Investigations by NIA, which took over the case from Kulgam police, revealed that the targeted killing was part of a larger HM conspiracy to disturb India’s integrity, sovereignty and security through violent attacks and killings.

“The NIA found that Bhat had provided his Alto car to the terrorists. He was also involved in conducting a recce of the Sarpanch’s house and in informing the HM terrorists about the target’s presence.

“He used his car to take the assailants to the area around the Sarpanch’s house on the day of the attack. NIA has chargesheeted six accused in the case and the trial against them is continuing,” the NIA’s statement read.