The National Investigation Agency, which is investigating the terror attack in Reasi, Jammu and Kashmir, has established that handlers of the Pakistan-based banned terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were involved in the ambush.
Media outlets on Tuesday, July 9, cited NIA authorities as stating that the interrogation of the arrested accused Hakam Khan alias Hakin Din has revealed that LeT was behind last month’s attack on a pilgrimage bus in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi.
According to NIA officials, the attack on the bus may have involved at least three terrorists. They added that Hakam Khan revealed during the interrogation that he provided shelter, logistics and food to the terrorists.
The officials added that the terrorists engaged in the attack had stayed with Khan at least on three separate occasions since June 1 and that Khan had also assisted and even accompanied the terrorists as they conducted a recce of the area.
The role of two Pakistan-based LeT commanders, Saifullah alias Sajid Jutt and Abu Qatal alias Qatal Sindhi, who may have served as the attackers’ handlers, have also come to light during Khan’s interrogation, the official said.
The NIA searched five locations on June 30 in connection with hybrid terrorists and their overground workers based on information provided by Khan.
NIA Conducts Searches in Reasi Terror Attack Case of J&K pic.twitter.com/RJJ5hrwH7F
— NIA India (@NIA_India) June 30, 2024
Notably, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the investigation into the Reasi terror attack case on June 15 on orders from the Union Home Ministry.
On June 13, as many as 50 people were detained in connection with the recent terrorist attack on a pilgrims’ bus in the Kanda area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi. The SSP also revealed that the search operations were extended to Arnas and Mahore to uncover more evidence and apprehend any terrorists in hiding.
On June 9, nine people were killed and 41 injured when terrorists opened fire at a 53-seater bus, which was on its way from the Shiv Khori temple to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. This caused the bus to veer off the road and fall into a deep gorge in Reasi.
The Reasi attack was followed by two other back-to-back terror attacks in the valley, the Kathua terror attack and the Doda terror attack.
