NIA to quiz Cong leader Ghulam Mohammad Saroori for alleged Hizbul link

National Investigation Agency (NIA) has called senior Congress leader and former Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Mohammad Saroori for questioning over his alleged links with top Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Osama who was killed in an encounter with security forces in September last year in Batote area of Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir. Osama was among the three terrorists killed in a joint operation by police and security forces in Ramban district on September 28. All the terrorists were responsible for the killing of senior BJP leader Anil Parihar and RSS functionary Chanderkant Sharma in Kishtwar town on November 1 last year.

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Terrorists had planned assassination of senior BJP leader

He has been summoned in the case of killing of Anil Kumar Parihar and his brother Ajit Kumar Parihar registered vide FIR No. 290/2018 of Kishtwar Police Station, Jammu & Kashmir which was later handed over to NIA vide FIR No. Case RC-36/2018/NIA/DLI dated 01/11/2018 registered at NIA Police Station, New Delhi U/S Under sections 302, 120B & 121 of Ranbir Penal Code, sections 3,13, 18 & 19 of the UA(P) Act, 1967 and section 7 & 27 of Arms Act on 28/11/2018. Sources told Republic Media Network that all the three terrorists had planned assassination of senior BJP leader in the south of Peer Panjal. The group had planned a fidayeen attack on the BJP leader. 

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Engineer Rashid already in custody

Earlier, brother of GM Saroori, Mohammad Shafi Saroori was booked along with half a dozen people booked by Jammu and Kashmir Police on charges for harbouring longest surviving terrorist Jahangir Saroori in Kishtwar district. Jahangir Saroori is the same terrorist who conspired along with other terrorists, including Hizbul Mujahideen Commander Osama, to revive terrorism in the south of Peer Panjal. Former Jammu and Kashmir MLA Engineer Rashid is already in custody of NIA over his involvement in terror funding. 

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FIR against JKLF

Jammu and Kashmir Police has been taking strict action against those promoting violence in the region. An FIR has been registered against banned JKLF for giving shutdown call on February 9 and 11 to observe anniversaries of Afzal Guru’s and Maqbool Bhat’s hanging. "The affiliates of this banned outfit in the valley have circulated statements urging for violence in the forthcoming days and are propagating the messages and activities of an unlawful organisation. Such activities of unlawful nature deteriorates the law & order situation and leads to violence," the Police statement reads. "Accordingly Srinagar police has registered a case FIR No 11/2020 under relevant sections of law at PS Kothibagh.  Further investigation in the matter is in progress," it further adds.

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