Arms and ammunition recovered from the site of an encounter between security forces and militants, in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday (October 9, 2026) filed a chargesheet against four terrorists — one local and three slain, Pakistan-based terrorists — in connection with an encounter that took place in the Chenab Valley’s Kishtwar earlier this year.
An NIA spokesman said the 535-page chargesheet details the conspiracy and the role of the three dead terrorists, including Saifullah, commander of the banned Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM), in the attack.
The spokesman said the arrested individual, identified as Maneer Ahmed from Naidgam in Inderwal’s Chatroo, was charged with “voluntarily harbouring and concealing terrorists involved in attacks on security forces and civilians in the hilly district of Kishtwar”. He faces charges under sections of the UAPA “for waging war against India and hatching a conspiracy from across the border,” the NIA said.
The NIA said it investigated the case for five months and “traced the conspiracy in the case to Pakistan”. “Further investigation in the case is continuing,” the agency said.
The terror attack took place on February 22 at Chatroo’s Wani Mohalla, Passer Kote, in Kishtwar district.
“The attack involved three terrorists led by terror commander Saifullah, affiliated to Kashmir Tigers (Azrael Group), which acts under the proscribed terror organisation JeM. Retaliatory fire from the security forces led to the killing of all three,” the NIA said.
The agency found that the group, which was active in the upper reaches of Kishtwar, had conducted several attacks that killed security personnel and locals.
Published – October 10, 2026 12:50 am IST
