NIA arrests three in Srinagar weapons loot case

Jammu, March 12 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested three accused in the loot of over half a dozen automatic weapons from the residence of a Jammu and Kashmir legislator in Srinagar last year, officials said.Adil Bashir Sheikh, a Special Police Officer (SPO) deployed with Peoples Democratic Party lawmaker Aijaz Ahmad Mir, had fled with seven AK-47 rifles and Mir's personal pistol from a government quarter in Jawahar Nagar area of Srinagar on September 28 last year.Sources in the NIA, which had subsequently taken over the investigations into the case, said that they have arrested three accused, identified as Parvaiz Ahmad Wani, Javaid Ahmed Dar and Subzar Ahmad from Jammu."Investigations have revealed that the weapons were looted under a conspiracy hatched by the SPO with the terror group Hizbul Mujahideen and the three accused persons arrested on Tuesday had provided logistic support to carry out the conspiracy."The accused will be produced before the special NIA court in Jammu on Wednesday," a source said.The SPO and his accomplice, Yawar Ahmad Dar, are still absconding, sources said.
--IANS sq/vd