NIA court in J-K orders 5 terrorists linked to targeted killings to surrender

A special National Investigation Agency court in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district issued proclamation orders on Monday against five terrorists involved in various terror crimes and targeted killings, asking them to surrender before it or the investigation agency.

"Special court, Kulgam designated under NIA Act issued proclamation orders under section 82, CrPC against five active terrorists involved in various terror crime and target killing cases, including killing of lady teacher Rajni Bala and bank manager Vijay Kumar in Kulgam district last year," a police spokesperson said in a statement.

On the request of the special investigation unit, Kashmir, the proclamation orders were issued against Arjumand Gulzar alias Hamza Bhuran, a resident of Kharbatapora Ratnipora Pulwama, Bilal Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Chaki Cholend Shopian, Sameer Ahmed Sheikh alias Kamran Bhai, a resident of Chaki Cholend Shopian, Abid Ramzan Sheikh, a resident of Chotipora Shopian, and Basit Amin Bhat, a resident of Frisal Kulgam, the spokesperson said.

Before the issuance of the proclamation orders, the court had issued open-ended non-bailable warrants against all five, he added.

The proclamation orders were read out at conspicuous places in the villages of the terrorists and copies of the orders were pasted at their houses as well as villages, the police spokesperson said.

Before the initiation of further legal proceedings against the five, the court has given them a chance to surrender before it or the investigation agency, he added.

The police spokesperson said SIU teams, along with local police and magistrates, went to the villages of the terrorists in Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama districts for the execution of the proclamation orders.