NIA releases two Pakistanis held for Uri attack

New Delhi March 8 (IANS) The NIA on Wednesday said it had released two Pakistani teenagers arrested last year in connection with the attack on an Army camp in Jammu and Kashmir s Uri and handed them over to the army for sending them back to their homes.

Faisal Hussain Awan and his friend Ahsan Khursheed residents of Pakistan-Administered Kashmir were released when the counter terrorism law enforcement agency found no clue against them during its investigation in the September 18 2016 terror attack.

The two were arrested on September 21 in connection with the attack on the Indian Army base in Uri town that left at least 19 soldiers dead and was blamed on Pakistan.

Hussain and Khursheed have been released and handed over to the Army s 16 Corps headquarters today (Wednesday) for sending them back to Pakistani authorities said a National Investigation Agency (NIA) official.

The NIA investigation has so far revealed that the two youth crossed over to the Indian side after an altercation with their parents due to pressure over studies.

The agency said that the evidence collected in the form of statements technical analysis of their mobile phones seized GPS (Global Positioning System) devices and other circumstantial evidence collected by it did not reveal any linkage of the suspects with the Uri attackers.

--IANS
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