NIA issues non-bailable warrant against Pahalgam terrorist
SRINAGAR: A special NIA court in Jammu has issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) commander Sajid Jatt alias Saifullah. He has been linked to several major terror attacks, including the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam massacre, according to officials.
Saifullah is a resident of Changa Manga village in Pakistan’s Kasur. He is also known in the terror ranks by the aliases of Sajid Jatt, Ali Bhai, Habibullah Malik, Langda, Noomi, Numan, Usman Habib and Shani. He is a key figure in the terror outfit’s operations and has remained active for over two decades. The NBW comes after NIA busted a “deep-rooted” LeT module headed by Pakistani terrorist Abdullah, alias Abu Hureira, who was arrested with another Pakistani accomplice, Usman alias Khubaib, and three local operatives early this year.
Quoting an order issued by the special NIA court on September 8, the official said the case arose after the police intercepted a LeT operative in the Pandach area of Srinagar in March. This arrest subsequently led to the successful arrest of the entire group, including Abdullah, who had been on the run for 16 years, and successfully established bases outside the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, the officials said on Thursday.
Seeking the NBW against the LeT commander for his role in the terrorist module, the NIA told the court that Saifullah, a designated terrorist listed under the Fourth Schedule of the UAPA, has been operating from Pakistan and providing weapons, funds and directions to terrorists in the Kashmir Valley. The agency also informed the court that Telegraph IDs linked to Saifullah were recovered from one of the arrested Pakistani terrorists, revealing that he had provided directions for attacks on security forces, civilians and government establishments.
After hearing the NIA and examining the application and accompanying material, the court issued the NBW against the LeT commander. “Keeping in view the fact that the accused person is at large and the investigating agency has not been able to procure his attendance in the ordinary manner.… as such a general warrant of arrest (non-bailable) is issued against Saifullah and is forwarded to SSP, Kulgam, as the last known address of the accused is village Yamrach (in South Kashmir district) for execution of the warrant as per procedure prescribed under law”.
The warrant has been sent for execution to the concerned authority through NIA, the official said, quoting the order. According to NIA, Saifullah also acted as a terrorist commander of LeT in 2005 to 2007 in Kulgam district and later exfiltrated to Pakistan.
Meanwhile, security forces arrested a suspected Over Ground Worker (OGW) in Udhampur district on Thursday after two terrorists were killed earlier in an encounter. Officials said that following the gunfight in which two terrorists were neutralized, security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the adjoining areas to track their support network.
During the operation, a suspected OGW, believed to be providing logistical support and shelter to the terrorists, was apprehended, they said. The arrested person is being questioned by the joint team of security forces. They said further investigation is underway to ascertain his links and involvement, while security has been tightened in the area to maintain law and order.
In another action against terrorists and their supporters, three residents of Kot Charwal area of Rajouri district have emerged as alleged members of a logistic support module linked to the proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) during further investigation into a terror module case. A couple of days earlier also, three OGWs were arrested in the same district.
The development came during further investigation into FIR No. 95/2026 registered at Police Station Dharamsal, Rajouri. Investigators have found that the accused allegedly harboured terrorists and facilitated their movement and provided logistical support to members of the proscribed outfit.
A senior official told that their alleged role in assisting, harbouring and facilitating the movement of terrorists, who were subsequently killed in an encounter at Chassana in Reasi district in 2023, also emerged during the investigation.
The official said the investigation further revealed that the accused had allegedly provided shelter and logistical assistance to multiple terrorist groups and facilitated their movement across the Rajouri-Reasi districts and through the Pir Panjal region towards Shopian. “During the course of the investigation on September 17, one pistol along with a magazine and ammunition, besides two Chinese grenades, were recovered on the disclosure of the accused,” an official said.
The accused have been identified as Mohd Azam, son of Ali Bahadur; Zakir Hussain, son of Ghulam Hussain; and Mohd Mushtaq, son of Mohd Iqbal, all residents of Kot Charwal. The recoveries were made as part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged terror-support network. Further investigation is underway, the official said.
