Pulwama Attack: NIA Makes 6th Arrest; Nabs Key JeM Aide Mohd Iqbal Rather

So far, this is the sixth arrest in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack which shook the entire nation. Earlier this year in February, NIA had made the first big breakthrough is year-long probe.

(File Photo/ Getty)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested one more accused in Pulwama IED blast case which took place on February 14, last year in which 40 CRPF personnel were martyred. The suspect has been identified as 25-year-old Mohd Iqbal Rather who had facilitated the movement of Mohammad Umar Farooq, the JeM terrorist and a key conspirator in this case, to south Kashmir after he infiltrated into the Indian territory in Jammu region in April, 2018, from the national highway near international border. In a statement released today, the investigating agency said Mohd Iqbal Rather  has been undergoing judicial custody since September 2018 in another Jaish-e-Mohammed related cases investigated by NIA. As such, he was produced by the Jail authorities before the NIA Special Court, Jammu today and then was taken into a seven-days NIA custody for his interrogation. NIA in its initial examination revealed that Raher was in constant touch with Pakistan-based leadership of Jaish-e-Mohammed and was in communication with them over securing messaging applications. Iqbal wast the part of the transportation module of JeM terrorist organisation, NIA claimed. So far, this is the sixth arrest in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack which shook the entire nation. Earlier this year in February after an year of the terrifying attack, NIA had made the first big breakthrough is year-long probe. An operative of Pakistan-based terror group JeM was arrested on February 28 for his alleged involvement in the case. According to reports, a 22-year-old youth Shakir Bashir Magrey, who is a furniture shop owner and resident of Hajibal, Kakapora in Pulwama, had provided shelter and other logistical assistance to suicide-bomber Adil Ahmad Dar. Four days after the National Investigation Agency made a major breakthrough in the Pulwama terror attack, it arrested two more people in the case - a father-daughter duo - who had also provided shelter to the bomber. The suspects were identified as Insha Jan, 23, and her father Tariq Ahmed Shah, 50, who works as a tipper driver.