National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted searches at 5 locations in Shopian and Budgam Districts of Kashmir in connection with investigation of NIA Case RC-02/2021/NIA-LKW (Al- Qaeda Case Lucknow, UP).

NIA said “The case pertains to Umar Halmandi, an Al-Qaeda operative, who along with other accused persons, had been radicalizing and recruiting vulnerable persons for AQIS (Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent) and trying to raise Ansaar Gajwatul Hind (AGH) to carry out terrorist acts for which they had already arranged arms and explosive substances. The case was initially registered as FIR No. 10/2021 dated 11.07.2021, PS-ATS, Uttar Pradesh and NIA had re-registered the same as RC-02/2021/NIA/LKW, on 29.07.2021.”

They said that during the searches conducted today, a large number of incriminating documents and digital devices have been seized adding that further investigation in the case is continuing.