India's anti-terror organisation the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested one of the most wanted militants of Kashmir-based terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen on Tuesday night, officials revealed on Wednesday.
According to NIA, the militant has been identified as Rustam Ali and was wanted in connection with the killing of RSS activist Chander Kant Sharma and his Personal Security Officer in April last year. RSS is the parent organisation of India’s ruling party the BJP.
“Ali had been allegedly recruiting youths into the militant ranks in Kushtwar district,” a senior NIA official said.
Sources in the agency revealed that Ali was closely connected to Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo, who was shot dead during a shootout with security forces earlier this month.
Last September, Jammu and Kashmir police arrested three militants from the outfit in connection with the 2018 murder of senior BJP member and RSS activist Anil Parihar.
Officials stated that both cases were part of the conspiracy to revive militancy and were hatched by Hizbul Mujahideen commanders.
Founded in 1989, Hizbul Mujahideen seeks independence from India. Its leadership mainly comes from the Tral region of Kashmir, considered a hotbed of militancy by the Indian security establishment.