Conflict

NIA infiltrates Whatsapp groups, identifies 117 suspects of leading stone pelting youth

New Delhi: National Investigating Agency (NIA) has identified 117 suspects who allegedly led stone pelting groups of youths by communicating instructions on Whatsapp, according to a report filed by the Indian Express.

Tasked with probing incidents of civil uprising in Kashmir valley, the NIA also claimed to have identified 79 Whatsapp groups that were used to ‘propagate messages’ and to gather crowds. Groups like “valley of tears”, “pulwama rebels”, “daftare surat auliyan sophiyan”, “FrEEdom FigHtErz”, “Tehreek E Azaadi123”, “Mugahideen-a-Islam”, “Al Jahad”, etc. have been identified and put under the scanner.

The investigating agency, entering six months into its investigation, has claimed to have found 6,386 phone numbers as a part of these WhatsApp groups. Around 1,000 of them were ‘found active’ in Pakistan and Gulf nations. The rest of the 5,386 numbers were found to be active from various parts of the Valley and its neighbouring states.

The report further added that a team of undercover NIA officials also infiltrated these groups and used technical surveillance, GPS and satellite imagery to locate the suspects, while working on intelligence inputs.

The NIA has prepared a detailed dossier of these incidents, according to the report. Pictures of the suspects and details such as their phone numbers, WhatsApp groups, social media account details, locations of stone-pelting incidents and locations of suspects’ homes marked on maps have also been compiled.

The 117 suspects are allegedly involved in at least three incidents. With the probe also detailing how most of the stone-pelters operated in a 25-30-km radius of their homes.

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