NIA arrests fifth accused in connection with the attack on CRPF Group Centre at Lethpora in 2017

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested Irshad Ahmad Reshi in connection with the attack on CRPF Group Centre at Lethpora in 2017.

According to police, he is the fifth accused to have been arrested in the case. His arrest comes close on the heels of disclosures made by Nisar Ahmed Tantray and Syed Hilal Andrabi, who was arrested earlier. Reshi, a resident of Pulwama, will be produced before the special NIA Court here on Monday.

Police said Reshi was an active over ground worker (OGW) of the proscribed terrorist organisation Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM). He was a close associate of slain terrorist and JeM commander Noor Mohammad Tantray, said police.

"The attack on CRPF Group Centre was executed under a conspiracy to avenge the death of Noor Trali, who was killed in an encounter with security forces in December 2017," said police officials.

The accused Reshi was a key a conspirator, who provided logistic support in the form of sheltering and transport to the terrorists, who carried out the audacious terror attack.

In 2017, the attack was carried out by three terrorists belonging to JeM. In this attack, five CRPF personnel were killed, while three others were grievously injured. Three terrorists-involved in the attack-Fardeen Ahmad Khandey, Manzoor Baba and Abdul Shakoor were also eliminated during the encounter.

READ| NIA Gets Custody Of Separatist Leader Yasin Malik; Will Question Him On Terror Funding

Earlier, following the NIA securing JKLF chief Yasin Malik's custody for 12 days, on Wednesday he was shifted to Delhi's Tihar Jail from Jammu's Kot Balwal jail where he had been lodged last month. Malik will face questioning related to the terror funding case lodged against him by the NIA.

He was booked under sections 120B /121A of the IPC and sections 13, 16, 17, 18, 20, 38, 39 and 40 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and was lodged in Jammu's Kot Balwal jail in March.

Previously, the Kashmiri Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was being grilled by the NIA pertaining to the 2007 Hawala case. Mirwaiz arrived in New Delhi on Monday to appear before the NIA in connection with the Jammu and Kashmir terror funding case, one in 2007 and another one in 2017