SIA conducts raids in south Kashmir over escape of Hizb terrorist

Srinagar : Twenty years after a Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander escaped to Pakistan through the Attari border in Punjab, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Wednesday raided two South Kashmir locations in connection with the case.
In an official release, the SIA said that its officers raided locations in Anantnag and Pulwama districts in the morning.
“In pursuant of its unrelenting efforts, SIA Kashmir conducted raids earlier today at two suspected places at District Anantnag and Pulwama in a case related to escape of HM terrorist Amin Baba to Pakistan in 2005,” reads the statement.
The escape of Baba, who was Divisional Commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen outfit to Pakistan, was orchestrated with the support of former MLA Gul Rafeeqi and others, the spokesman said in a statement.
It also said the accused persons had managed a fake passport for the terrorist and ferried him in the official vehicle of the MLA from Anantnag to Attari, due to which he managed to cross over to Pakistan.
“Initially, the FIR No. 98 of 2005 was registered in Police Station Bijbehara and was subsequently transferred to SIA Kashmir for specialized investigation in 2023. So far, SIA Kashmir has successfully filed a charge sheet against four persons including the Ex-MLA and his private secretary whereas a hunt for others is underway.”
Fresh raids in the case mark the unrelenting efforts of SIA Kashmir to gather evidence and bring all the accused persons to justice, the spokesman added