The National Investigations Agency has taken over the probe into the killings of political personalities in Kishtwar district where militancy has staged a comeback after years of calm.
According to sources, the agency has filed a case into the killings of three political leaders, including a senior RSS functionary from the district, by militants suspected to be working for Hizbul Mujahideen.
A security guard of the RSS functionary was also killed in an attacked outside Kishtwar district hospital and militants had managed to decamp with his service rifle.
The killings took place earlier this year, marking the arrival of militancy in the hilly district which has a mixed population of Hindus and Muslims that often leads to communal tensions.
The police probe had revealed that a local youth identified as Jehangir Saroori, who is reported to be a MBA dropout, has revived militancy in the district with the help of his handlers across the border. He is relative of senior Congress leader GM Saroori.
“At least eight suspects including the brother of the local militant commander have been arrested in the case and they have been taken into custody by the NIA which has officially taken over the probe,” sources said.
The four killings by militants had sparked communal tensions, prompting the local administration to snap mobile internet service and impose curfew with the army being called in to stage a flag march to restore a semblance of normalcy in the town earlier this year.