NIA takes over investigations into Uri attack

The search operation continued in vast stretches of Uri and Nowgam sectors for the third consecutive day after the army claimed to have foiled two major infiltration bids in the areas.

There were reports that the army had intensified search operations in Charunda and Gollahan villages to ascertain whether the terrorists had taken shelter there before reaching the military camp at Uri.

Agency sources said NIA would adopt a 2-pronged strategy to investigate the case: One to find out how the Army lines were breached and whether there were any insiders passing on crucial information to the enemy. Terrorists in two groups had tried to sneak in, in the Nowgam sector, but the Army had managed to foil both the bids.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday said that media related conclusions attributed to it with regard to the investigation of the recent terror attack in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir, were factually incorrect. “We have turned the tide against terrorism primarily due to resilience displayed by the whole nation and professionalism of our security forces”, he said.

The NIA team, which arrived here on Tuesday, is in the process of completing the case documentation and collecting the material evidence from the site which would form part of seizure memo, the sources said. Asked how far the place was from the Uri base attacked by militants, the official said, “I can’t give you details because of operational sensitivity”.

Hindustan Times via Getty Images Governor Draupadi Murmu paying tribute to Late Martyrs Naiman Kujur and Jawara Munda, Jharkhand, and SK Vidyarthi, Varanashi, who were killed in Uri terror attack, at Birsa Munda Airport on September 19, 2016 in Ranchi. The NIA team is also trying to retrieve data from the Global Positioning System (GPS) sets recovered from the slain militants.

The attack by four gunmen took place Sunday in the town of Uri, Baramulla district of India-administered Kashmir, leaving 18 soldiers dead and several others seriously injured.