Four TRF terrorists on the run; NIA announces Rs 10 lakh bounty [details]

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has announced a cash reward of Rs 10 lakh on four self-styled "commanders" of terrorist outfit The Resistance Front (TRF), who have been absconding for long. Award has been announced for two terrorists of Pakistan and two from Kashmir Valley.

According to reports, the reward money has been announced in case 32/2021/NIA/DLI against Sajjad Gul alias Sheikh Saijad of Bemina, Srinagar, Salim Rehmani alias Abu Saad from Nawab Shah, Sindh Pakistan, Saifullah Sajid Jutt from Shangamanga, District Kasur, Punjab, Pakistan and Basit Ahmed Dar of Redwani Payeen, Kulgam in South Kashmir.

In February NIA conducted raids to nab Sajid Jutt

On February 16 this year, the National Investigation Agency had raided a dozen places in Jammu and Kashmir in connection with two cases, one related to the recovery of an IED and another about the recruitment of youth by the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit.

According to reports, Sajid Jutt is involved in recruiting youth in TRF, which is an offshoot of LeT. Four people have already been arrested in the case of radicalizing, motivating, and recruiting youth by the LeT that was registered in 2021. The NIA had seized incriminating documents and digital devices during searches at various locations in and around Srinagar related to the case.

Terrorists radicalizing innocent youth

According to the NIA, LeT commanders Sajjad Gul, Salim Rehmani, and Saifullah Sajid Jutt had been radicalizing, motivating, and recruiting youngsters to join terror ranks. There are intelligence reports that these LeT/TRF commanders, including Sajjad Gul, Salim Rehmani, and Saifullah Sajid Jutt were planning violence in J&K and elsewhere in India through radicalized youth.

TRF - a Lashkar offshoot in J&K

After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A in August 2019, a new terrorist outfit in the name of TRF emerged in the spectrum of J&K's terrorism.

Higher-ups of Jammu and Kashmir Police have repeatedly informed that TRF, a front of the LeT, was promoted by Pakistan and had been created in August 2019 following the reading down of Article 370.

Intelligence agencies said it was bid by Pakistan to give TRF an indigenous shade, but this outfit was backed by Lashkar-e-Taiba. Pakistan has been smuggling weapons from across the border to arm this terror outfit.

The police have collected evidence to establish that TRF was an outfit of terrorists from the LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed.