NIA Summons Former PDP MLA Aijaz Ahmad Mir in Weapons Loot Case

Srinagar: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned former PDP legislator, Aijaz Ahmad Mir, in a weapons loot case.

Mir was an MLA from the Wachi constituency in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

On September 28 last year, a special police officer (SPO), Adil Bashir, posted as personal security officer (PSO) with Mir, fled with seven rifles of his colleagues and a personal pistol of Mir from a government-provided accommodation in the high-security Jawahir Nagar area of Srinagar.

Bashir soon joined militancy and shared pictures on social media. Before joining the police ranks, Bashir was a political worker with the PDP and had also participated in Mir’s election campaign. At present, he is an active militant.

The incident put the security establishment on alert and immediate security reviews were made. All the SPOs, except drivers, were removed as PSOs of protected persons in the state.

Mir said he was in Jammu when the incident took place.

Earlier, a probe conducted by the NIA had revealed his vehicle was used to carry out the attack on Amarnath pilgrims in July 2017, which left seven pilgrims dead and nearly 20 injured.

The attack took place near the Batengu area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag on the Srinagar-Jammu highway when militants indiscriminately fired at a bus ferrying the pilgrims.

Days after the attack, Mir’s driver, Touseef Ahmad Wani, who was deputed with him by the J&K Police’s security wing, was arrested.

At the time of his arrest, police had alleged that Wani was “linked” to militants.

The former legislator had landed in a controversy last year as well after he allegedly referred to the militants killed in Kashmir as ‘martyrs’. The remark was condemned by the BJP, which also sought an inquiry into it.

Mir was not available for comment.

Earlier, on Tuesday Hurriyat (M) chairman Mirwaiz Umer Farooq appeared before the NIA for the second consecutive day for questioning in connection with a case related to alleged funding of militant groups and separatist organisations in Jammu and Kashmir.

He came to the NIA headquarters under police protection and will be questioned on the matter of funding of his own party — Awami Action Committee — and Hurriyat Conference, a conglomerate of several separatist organisations, officials said.