Early Times Report
Jammu, Nov 8: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) has achieved a major breakthrough by arresting a main kingpin of a narco terror module from Mumbai Airport.
In a statement a SIA spokesman said the arrested accused Mohammad Arshad @ Asif son of Mohammad Rashid, of Degwar Terwan village, tehsil Haveli, district Poonch, had been absconding since 2023 and was operating from Saudi Arabia.
He said the case was registered in May 2023 following reliable information regarding a narco-terror module operating in the Pir Panjal region. “During a joint search operation conducted by Police and Army, on the intervening night of 30/31-05-2023, an exchange of fire took place between terrorists and the search party. In the ensuing operation, four terrorists were apprehended and a huge cache of arms, ammunition, and narcotics was recovered,” the spokesman said.
“The seizure included: Heroin 29 kg, One Improvised Explosive Device (IED), six hand grenades, one AK-56 rifle, four pistols and seventy live rounds of AK-56,” he added.
“A total of eight accused were found involved in the case, out of which two were absconding. One absconder, Liyakat Ahmed, was earlier arrested by SIA Jammu from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, Ahmedabad in March 2025 who had absconded soon after the incident to Dubai.
The other absconder, Mohammad Arshad @ Asif, is the main handler and key link between Pakistan-based handlers and operatives in Jammu & Kashmir. He had facilitated the travel of co-accused Liyakat Ahmed to Dubai and also organised a secret meeting in the Surankote area for reviving terrorism and narco-terror activities in the Pir Panjal region under his guidance,” the spokesman said.
The SIA Jammu had earlier issued a Look-Out Circular against Mohammad Arshad @ Asif in the year 2023, followed by the issuance of a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) from the competent court . The accused has been taken into custody on a three days transit remand from Mumbai.
His arrest from Mumbai International Airport marks a significant success for SIA Jammu and Kashmir in its sustained efforts to dismantle networks involved in narco-terrorism and cross-border subversive activities, the spokesman added. |
