NIA CONDUCTS FRESH SEARCHES IN PULWAMA

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Focus: GS-III Internal Security, Prelims

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Several teams of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on 26th February 2020 conducted multiple searches in the Kashmir Valley targeting the Jaish-e-Mohammed ( JeM) and its supporters.
Searches were conducted at- at least five locations in a fresh clampdown against the militant outfit.
JeM Commander Zahid Ahmed Wani’s House Raided.
The brother of the active ‘commander’, Shoaib Ahmed Wani, was arrested in connection with the Nagrota toll plaza attack in Jammu on January 31

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is a state agency established by the Indian Government to combat terror in India.
It acts as the Central Counter Terrorism Law Enforcement Agency.
The agency is empowered to deal with terror related crimes across states without special permission from the states.
The Agency came into existence with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 by the Parliament of India on 31 December 2008.
Headquartered in New Delhi, the NIA has branches in Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur and Jammu.
It maintains NIA Most Wanted list.

The NIA (Amendment) Bill 2019 was passed by the parliament on 17 July 2019.
The Bill aims to give more teeth to the investigating powers of the NIA.
It empowers the NIA to probe terror attacks targeting Indians and Indian interests abroad.

The amended legislation, which aims to primarily empower the anti-terror agency to investigate scheduled offences such as human trafficking; circulation of fake currency; manufacture and sale of prohibited arms; and cyber-terrorism, was passed with a majority of 278 votes in favour and six against in the Lok Sabha.
It was also passed in the Rajya Sabha after those opposed to it staged a walkout.
This amendment will now also allow NIA to investigate the Sri Lanka Easter Bombings.

After 14 February 2019, when Pakistan based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) suicide bomber attacked CRPF convoy in Pulwama, killing 40 CRPF soldiers, tensions between India and Pakistan escalated.
Later on February 26 Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out counter-terror operation (Balakot Air Strike), hitting what it claimed was a JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on 26 February 2019.
Then on 27 February the PAF retaliated and in an aerial combat between India and Pakistan, India lost its MiG-21 Bison aircraft and its pilot Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who allegedly shot down PAF’s F-16 fighter aircraft was captured by Pakistan. He was later released and handed over to India on March 1.

Pulwama is a city and a notified area council in Pulwama district, in India’s northern union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is almost 25 km (16 mi) from the summer capital of Srinagar. Pulwama is often called the “Anand of Kashmir” (the joy, the delight), but also the “Dudha-Kul of Kashmir” (the milk) on account of its high milk production.