Neyaz Elahi
Srinagar (NVI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will probe the Nagrota encounter case in which four Jaish-e-Muhammad militants were killed while the truck driver ferrying them had gone missing.
Official sources said that the November 19 encounter will be probed by NIA that will conduct an investigation to find out the conspiracy and intent of the Jaish militants and their connections.
After the killing of these militants, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Kashmir had said that they were probably trying to enter Kashmir to disrupt District Development Council (DDC) elections.
Earlier, the Centre has issued a notification saying that the Nagrota encounter will be investigated by NIA.
Pertinently, on November 19 last month, a gunfight broke out between joint forces and the militants near Ban toll plaza in Nagrota area of Jammu on Srinagar-Jammu Highway after a truck was intercepted by forces.
All four militants boarding the truck were killed in the pre-dawn gunfight. However, the truck driver managed to escape from the spot and is still absconding.
11 AK-47 rifles, three pistols, 29 live grenades, six UBGL grenades, mobile phones, compass, pithy bags and other ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.
Two policemen of the counter-insurgency Special Operations Group (SOG)- Kuldeep Raj of Akhnoor and Muhammad Ishaq Malik of Neel Qasim Banihal in Ramban district were also injured during the encounter.
This year, it was the second encounter on the same spot. On January 31, an encounter with three militants took on the same toll plaza, when they were travelling in a truck. That case is also being investigated by NIA.
-ARK
