Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Sep 2: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted raids in Srinagar city in connection with cross-Line of Control (LoC) trade being used for funding militancy in Kashmir.
These raids were conducted in Danderkha, Batamaloo and Mandarbagh area of Srinagar city. The NIA sleuths, accompanied by paramilitary CRPF and police, raided the house of Ghulam Ahmad Dar, Ishfaq Ahmad Dar and Ayoub Matta at Danderkha Batamaloo and Mushtaq Ahmad Khan at MandarBagh Srinagar, both LoC traders.
The searches continued for several hours during which documents pertaining to the LoC trade were seized .
The NIA is investigating the LoC trade being used for funding militancy and for last over an year raids of the houses and offices of several traders were conducted.
The cross-LoC trade came under NIA scanner in 2017 as they suspect that the trade was being run by militants in Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). The trade was suspended early last year after several traders were questioned by the NIA.
The NIA suspects that trade was being used to fund anti-India activities in Kashmir. The agency seized several bank accounts and ledgers of LoC traders who are active in the cross-LoC trade.
The trade was started in October 2008 as a major Jammu and Kashmir specific Confidence-Building Measure between India and Pakistan.
The NIA has found that since the cross-LoC trade began, some businessmen under- or over-invoiced their bills, and the difference in payment was later used for promoting subversive activities in the Valley.
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