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NIA Files Chargesheet Against 10 in Red Fort Car Bomb Blast Case
11 Killed in 2025 VBIED Explosion; AQIS-Linked AGuH Module, Radicalised Medical Professionals Named in Probe

New Delhi, May 14 (NVI): National Investigation Agency on Thursday filed a 7,500-page chargesheet against 10 accused in connection with the 2025 Red Fort area car bomb explosion case that killed 11 people and injured several others in the national capital.

The chargesheet was filed before the NIA Special Court at Patiala House Courts under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Explosive Substances Act, Arms Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

According to the agency, the high-intensity Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) blast took place near Red Fort on November 10, 2025, causing extensive damage besides loss of lives.

The NIA said all 10 accused, including the alleged mastermind Dr. Umer Un Nabi, who died in the blast, were linked to Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind, an offshoot of Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent.

Besides Nabi, those named in the chargesheet include Aamir Rashid Mir, Jasir Bilal Wani, Dr. Muzamil Shakeel, Dr. Adeel Ahmed Rather, Dr. Shaheen Saeed, Mufti Irfan Ahmad Wagay, Soyab, Dr. Bilal Naseer Malla and Yasir Ahmad Dar.

Investigators said the accused were part of a larger conspiracy aimed at promoting violent jihadist ideology and destabilising the Indian government. The agency alleged that during a secret meeting in Srinagar in 2022, the group reorganised itself as “AGuH Interim” after a failed attempt to travel to Afghanistan via Turkey.

According to the NIA, the group launched “Operation Heavenly Hind”, under which it recruited members, propagated extremist ideology, stockpiled arms and ammunition, and manufactured explosives using commercially available chemicals.

The agency said the explosive used in the blast was Triacetone Triperoxide (TATP), prepared through clandestine procurement of chemicals and repeated experimentation.

The probe, spread across Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi-NCR, included 588 witness statements, over 395 documents and more than 200 material exhibits.

The NIA said forensic evidence, including DNA fingerprinting, confirmed the identity of Nabi. Investigators also recovered evidence related to illegal procurement of weapons such as AK-47 rifles, Krinkov rifles and pistols, besides experiments involving drone-mounted and rocket-based IEDs.

A total of 11 people have been arrested in the case so far, while efforts are underway to trace other absconding accused, the agency said.(NVI)

J&K High Court Denies Bail to Repeat Drug Offender, Calls for ‘Zero Leniency’ in NDPS Cases

Jammu, May 14 (NVI): The High Court of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has advocated a policy of “zero leniency” against habitual drug offenders, observing that public interest and societal welfare must outweigh personal liberty in cases involving repeat narcotics offenders.

While rejecting a bail application in a heroin recovery case, Justice Rajesh Sekhri said repeated involvement in drug-related offences indicates a strong likelihood of reoffending, making such accused ineligible for lenient consideration under the law.

The court observed that the increasing menace of drug trafficking, particularly among the youth, poses a serious threat to society and warrants a strict judicial approach in matters related to bail under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

The High Court noted that accused persons with multiple pending cases of a similar nature often fail to satisfy the stringent conditions prescribed under the NDPS Act for grant of bail, especially when their criminal antecedents suggest a possibility of continuing involvement in narcotics activities.

Refusing bail in a case involving recovery of a commercial quantity of heroin, the court said that protection of public health, societal morality and the fight against organised drug crimes must take precedence over individual liberty in appropriate cases.

The observations came during the hearing of a bail plea filed by an accused allegedly involved in repeated narcotics offences. (NVI)

NEET Paper Leak Probe Must Be Transparent, Guilty Should Face Strict Action: Sakina Itoo

File Photo : Sakina Itoo, Minister for Social Welfare, Health, and Education

Srinagar, May 14 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Minister Sakina Itoo on Thursday said the investigation into the alleged NEET-UG paper leak case must be conducted in a transparent manner and those involved should be punished strictly.

Reacting to the controversy surrounding the medical entrance examination, Itoo said the issue has raised serious concerns among students and parents across the country and stressed the need for a fair and impartial probe.

She said deserving students should not suffer because of the actions of a few individuals and urged the investigating agencies to ensure accountability at every level.

“The investigation must be transparent and strict action should be taken against all those responsible for compromising the integrity of the examination system,” the minister said.

Her remarks come amid an ongoing probe into the alleged NEET-UG 2026 paper leak case, in which several arrests and detentions have been made by investigating agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation, across multiple states.(NVI)

3 Illegal Shops Razed in Kulgam’s Frisal During Anti-Drug Drive

Kulgam, May 14 (NVI): Authorities on Thursday demolished three illegally constructed shops in the Channigam area of Frisal in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district as part of an intensified crackdown against the narcotics network.

Officials said that the action was carried out in a joint operation by Kulgam Police and the civil administration targeting properties linked to drug-related activities.

They said the demolished structures belonged to an accused booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The officials further stated that the shops had been constructed without obtaining the mandatory land-use permission from the concerned authorities.

Officials asserted that the anti-drug campaign will continue across the district and warned that strict action would be taken against persons involved in narcotics trade and illegal constructions raised in violation of law. (NVI)

Balochistan: 8 Pakistani soldiers killed in BLA attack, Major among those dead

Quetta, May 13: At least 8 Pakistani soldiers, including a Major, were killed in an attack by the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) in Balochistan today.

The freedom fighters of the BLA targeted a convoy of the occupying Pakistani army in a coordinated attack in the ‘Bala Dak’ area of Chamalang in Balochistan, its spokesman Jeeyand Baloch said in a statement to NVI tonight.

This operation was carried out based on precise intelligence provided by ZIRAB, the BLA’s intelligence wing, he said.

During the operation, one vehicle was first blown up using a remote-controlled explosive device, followed by a heavy armed assault on the second vehicle, the spokesman said.

Eight personnel of the enemy army, including Major Tauseef Bhatti, were killed in this successful strike, Jeeyand Baloch said in the brief statement.

Further details regarding the incident will be released to the media shortly, he added.

LG Manoj Sinha Reduces Convoy Size by Half Following PM Modi’s Austerity Appeal

Srinagar, May 13 (NVI) : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has decided to reduce the size of his official convoy by half following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for austerity and fuel-saving measures, officials at Lok Bhavan said on Wednesday

Officials said the decision has been taken as part of efforts to promote austerity, reduce fuel consumption and encourage responsible use of government resources.

The move comes in the wake of Prime Minister Modi’s call for adopting fuel conservation measures and minimizing unnecessary expenditure in official functioning.

Officials said the Lieutenant Governor’s decision is aimed at setting an example for efficient governance and encouraging sustainable administrative practices in Jammu and Kashmir.(NVI)

Lt Gen Pratik Sharma Reviews Operational Preparedness Along LoC in North Kashmir

Srinagar, May 13 (NVI): Northern Army Commander Lt Gen Pratik Sharma on Wednesday visited forward areas along the Line of Control (LoC) in north Kashmir and reviewed the prevailing security situation and operational preparedness in the region.

Officials said the Army Commander assessed the existing security dynamics and reviewed the summer strategy during his visit to the forward areas.

Interacting with troops deployed along the LoC, Lt Gen Sharma commended their professionalism, operational readiness and dedication towards safeguarding the nation.

He also urged the troops to maintain high standards of operational capability and remain vigilant, responsive and combat-ready at all times, the officials said.(NVI)

HM-Linked Narco-Terror Accused ‘Shera’ Extradited From Portugal, Arrested by NIA

New Delhi, May 13 (NVI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday said it has arrested alleged Hizbul Mujahideen-linked narco-terror operative Iqbal Singh alias Shera after securing his extradition from Portugal in connection with a terror financing and heroin smuggling case.

According to the agency, Shera, who had been absconding since 2020, was brought to India after completion of legal and diplomatic procedures and was taken into custody by an NIA team at Delhi airport upon arrival from Portugal.

The NIA said Shera was wanted in a Hizbul Mujahideen narco-terror module case registered in 2020 and had a non-bailable warrant issued against him. An Interpol notice was also issued against him in 2021.

Investigators alleged that Shera was a key conspirator in a Pakistan-backed network involved in smuggling heroin into Punjab and routing proceeds through hawala channels to terror operatives in Kashmir linked to Hizbul Mujahideen.

The agency said Shera allegedly coordinated drug trafficking operations, managed distribution networks and facilitated transfer of funds to handlers based in Pakistan and Kashmir to support terrorist activities.

The case was initially registered by Punjab Police following the arrest of Hizbul Mujahideen overground worker Hilal Ahmed Shergojri. Police had recovered Rs 29 lakh, allegedly linked to drug proceeds, from his possession. Further investigation later led to the seizure of another Rs 32 lakh from Punjab-based associates allegedly connected to the module.

The NIA said further investigation in the case is underway.(NVI)

Drugs, Terror Two Heads of Same Snake”: LG Sinha Declares All-Out War on Narco-Terror Networks in J&K
730 Smugglers Arrested, Properties Worth Crores Seized; Kupwara Put on High Alert Under Nasha-Mukt Campaign

Srinagar, May 13 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on narco-terror networks, declaring that drug trafficking and terrorism are “inseparable partners in crime” and warning that the administration’s crackdown will become “tougher and more powerful” in the coming days.

Addressing a massive gathering during the ‘Nasha-Mukt Jammu Kashmir Campaign’ padyatra in Kupwara, the Lieutenant Governor said the ongoing anti-drug drive has, within just 32 days, dealt a “devastating blow” to the entire drug smuggling ecosystem operating across the Union Territory.

“Our consistent action is crippling narco-terrorist networks. Properties worth crores have been seized, assets confiscated and passports of 15 smugglers have been recommended for cancellation. More than 730 smugglers and peddlers have been arrested,” Sinha said.

In one of his sharpest remarks yet, the Lieutenant Governor said drugs and terrorism are not separate threats but “two heads of the same snake”, accusing Pakistan of using narcotics trade to finance terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.

“One head earns money through drugs while the other uses that money to fuel terrorism. Drug smugglers and terrorists are inseparable partners in crime,” he said.

Sinha said the anti-drug movement, which many had initially doubted, has now transformed into a people’s revolution with participation from villages, schools, colleges and urban localities across Jammu and Kashmir.

Highlighting the strategic sensitivity of Kupwara as a border district, the Lieutenant Governor directed police and anti-narcotics agencies to ensure that “not a single guilty person escapes”, revealing that 28 smugglers have already been arrested in Kupwara and Handwara.

Officials have also directed every police station in Kupwara to identify active drug peddlers and launch decisive action over the next 68 days.

Calling drug addiction a social tragedy destroying families and communities, Sinha urged society to treat addicts with compassion and support their rehabilitation.

“The addicts are victims trapped in the dark web of narcotics. We must bring every youth seeking help back into the mainstream,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also challenged critics of the anti-drug campaign to identify “even one innocent person unfairly targeted”, asserting that people of Jammu and Kashmir overwhelmingly support strict action against drug smugglers.

“In the days ahead, our crackdown against the drug smuggling network will grow tougher and more powerful,” he warned.

On the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor unveiled trophies for the Kupwara Forest League and a volleyball championship organised under the Nasha-Mukt J&K Abhiyan and felicitated winners of a reel-making competition on drug abuse.(NVI)

Teacher Among Two Held for Allegedly Sheltering Foreign Terrorists in Kishtwar: Police

Terrorist arrested
Representational image

Kishtwar, May 13  (NVI) : Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday said it has arrested two alleged supporters of the Saifullah group for reportedly providing shelter and logistical support to foreign terrorists in the Chatroo area of Kishtwar.

Police said a case has been registered at Chatroo police station under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and Arms Act in connection with the matter.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Naresh Singh, said one of the arrested accused, Mashkoor Ahmed, a resident of Beighpora Singhpora and an employee of the School Education Department, was allegedly involved in facilitating a hideout for foreign terrioists in the area.

Another accused, identified as Maneer Ahmed of Bandeyan Naidgam, had earlier been arrested in the case for similar offences, police said.

According to police, investigations are underway to identify and dismantle the entire support network linked to the terrioist.

The police reiterated its “zero-tolerance” policy against terrorism and those providing support to terrioist activities in the Union Territory.(NVI)

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