The State Investigation Agency (SIA), Jammu and Kashmir Police, has filed a chargesheet against 12 people for their alleged involvement in the murder of Kashmiri Pandit Sanjay Sharma in Pulwama last year. According to the SIA, Sharma was killed in Pulwama's Achhan on February 26 last year, and "a conspiracy originating from across the border" was revealed during the investigation. "The motive behind the murder was to disrupt the revival of peace and communal harmony in the Valley i.e. using the murder of innocent people from the minority community to fuel communal disharmony and sustain terrorism," said the SIA. The SIA chargesheet has been filed before the Pulwama special designated court (SDC), under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, against Khalid Kamran allegedly from Pakistan; Nassir Farooq Shah and Sajjad Ahmad Bhat (Bijbehara); Aamir Hussain Wani, Zaffar Hussain Bhat, Towseef Ahmad Pandith and Sahil Bashir Dar (Anantnag); Jazim Farooq Wani, Shameem Ahmad Bhat, Ubaid Ahmad Paddar and Danish Ahmad Thokar (Shopian); and Sharjeel Ahmad Bhat (Kulgam). Sharma, who was a bank security guard, was shot at from less than a 100 m from his house, while he and his wife, Sunita, were on their way to buy medicines from the local market. While his wife escaped unhurt, Sharma was severely injured in the attack and "declared dead on arrival" by the doctors of a local hospital. Sharma is survived by wife and their three children — two daughters and a son. After taking over the case, the SIA conducted extensive searches across South Kashmir and "unearthed vital physical and technical evidence", which exposed the involvement of the accused in the case, including harbouring them, providing logistical support, and concealing evidence. "During the investigation, SIA conducted five rounds of extensive searches at 32 locations across the Valley, during which evidence in cellphones, incriminating documents, live cartridges, and a pistol magazine were seized," the SIA said in a statement. While the SIA investigation is underway for accused Yasir Shabir Wani, eight of the 12 accused, including three juveniles, are under judicial custody at present, said officials. Jazim Farooq Wani, Danish Hamid Thokar, and Ubaid Ahmad Paddar died in encounters with the security forces. Zaffar Hussain Bhat, Khursheed Kashmiri, and Khalid Kamran are absconding. According to the SIA investigation, the accused were "acting on instructions from terror handlers across the border, maintaining communication through encrypted online messaging platforms. Jazim Farooq Wani, "who had pulled the trigger", received weapon handling training from Nassir Farooq Shah on the directions of Pakistani handler Khalid Kamran. Further investigation is underway, said the SIA.
