Srinagar: National Investigation Agency chief Sharad Kumar on Wednesday interrogated Pakistani militant Muhammad Naved Yakub captured alive by a group of villagers after the August 5 deadly terror attack on a Border Security Forces convoy outside the garrison town of Udhampur.
Soon after arriving in Jammu and Kashmir’s winter capital Jammu, Kumar relocated to the Joint Interrogation Centre (JIC) at Miran Sahib on the outskirts of the city where he interrogated the militant, official sources said. Later he visited Sumroli, the scene of the terror strike along the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
Two BSF jawans were killed when Naved and his accomplice Muhammed Noaman alias Momin mounted a sneak attack on a bus which was part of a convoy of the paramilitary force on way to Jammu from Srinagar. In the security forces’ retaliatory fire Noaman was also killed and Naved was captured alive by a group of villagers and then handed over to the police.
Read: Udhampur terror attack: Two arrested, three detained for allegedly aiding Pak terrorist
The NIA director general Mr. Kumar told reporters that he had come Jammu to “ascertain the facts and review the case personally”. He, however, parried a query on whether Naved would be flown to Delhi for further interrogation. He had earlier said, "It's a very important case for us and the entire probe is being done in a scientific manner.”
The 22-year-old Lashkar-e-Tayyaba militant from Faisalabad, Pakistan was on Tuesday remanded to NIA custody for 14 days by a court in Jammu.
A team of the NIA headed by Inspector General (IG) Sanjeev Kumar Singh had already started investigations into the terror strike. Official sources said that as many as twenty officers of the agency have arrived in twin capitals of Jammu and Srinagar from Delhi so far to join the investigations. It has proposed to open four camp offices at Jammu, Srinagar, Udhampur and Anantnag.
Kumar has also held a meeting with the officers from his organisation in Jammu to review the case and is likely to question also those about a dozen people who have been detained by police for helping Naved and his accomplice during their stay in Kashmir Valley and facilitating their travel to Sumroli from Kulgam district (of the Valley).
Read: Udhampur terror attack: Captured terrorist is from India, claims Pakistani news channel
A case under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, the Foreigners Act and various sections of Ranbir Penal Code (equivalent to Indian Penal Code) particularly Section 121 (waging war against the country) stands registered against Naved at the local police station. The J&K government has already given prosecution sanction against him for waging war against the country.
Meanwhile, the NIA is reported to be unhappy over leakage of interrogation reports to the media, which its officials believe has created hurdles in reaching to some of the vital and important people linked with the terror strike.
Read: Pakistani terrorist Mohd Naved Yakub sent to NIA custody for 14 days
One case in point is that of a truck driver, who allegedly ferried Naved and his accomplice to Sumroli from Kashmir Valley but is missing after media in their reports mentioned about his involvement, the sources said.
Also a businessman who is alleged to have paid Rs five lakh to Naved and his handler is evading arrest. The J&K police and other security agencies have launched a manhunt to arrest both of them.
