In Kashmir, NIA arrests serving deputy jail superintendent in terror conspiracy case

The National Investigation Agency has arrested the serving deputy jail superintendent for conniving with jail inmate to send Kashmiri youth to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) for arms training.

Feroze Ahmad Lone, currently posted as Deputy Jail Superintendent, Amphalla prison, Jammu, has been arrested along with the main accused Ishaq Palla by the NIA. 

The NIA said Ishaq Palla has been remanded to 10 days' NIA custody by the Special NIA court Jammu. Feroz Ahmad Lone will be produced before the Court tomorrow for seeking his custody. 

The case dates back to October 2017 when Jammu and Kashmir police blew a lid off the Hizbul Mujahedeen plan to send Kashmiri youth to Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) for arms training.

The police had arrested two youth Danish Ghulam Lone and Suhail Ahmad Bhat near LoC along with four over ground workers (OGWs) who were facilitating their ex-filtration from the LoC.

Some incriminating documents including the map of areas adjoining to LoC and some posters of Hizbul outfit were also recovered from their possession. During preliminary investigation, they disclosed that they were motivated by Hizbul terrorist Adnan operating in Pulwama-Awantipora area for joining the militant ranks and ex-filtration to PoK for obtaining arms training”, he said.

They had visited the Central Jail Srinagar and met two detainees Ishaq Palla and Ghulam Nabi Mughal. Police had said after returning from Central Jail Srinagar they sent their photographs and other details to the PoK handlers. Later the OGWs network in Kupwara was activated by the PoK handlers.

Later, the NIA took over the case and during investigation they detected that the conspiracy was allegedly actively assisted by Feroze Ahmad Lone, who was posted as Deputy Jail Superintendent Central Jail Srinagar at that time.

“Case pertains to an attempt by accused persons Suhail Ahmad Bhat and Danish Ghulam Lone, who were arrested earlier, to travel to POK for arms training for waging war against the State. They were motivated by Ishaq Palla. At the time of incident, Ishaq Palla was lodged in Central prison Srinagar in a different case and he was instrumental in hatching the conspiracy from Jail. In this conspiracy, he was actively assisted by Feroze Ahmad Lone” said NIA in a statement,

The NIA said the conspiracy meeting at the central prison Srinagar was held on October 25 2017. “Accused persons were in contact with each other through blackberry messenger during whole of October before they were apprehended by the police on October 30 2017. Investigation continues to unearth the larger conspiracy”, the NIA said.