Police in Pakistan-administered Kashmir claimed on Saturday that they have arrested three suspected Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) agents for their alleged involvement in anti-state activities, as reported by Pakistan’s news agency Dawn. The suspects, who were masked, were produced before the media during a briefing in Rawalkot.

The report said the three suspects were residents of Taroti village in Abbaspur in PaK. Deputy Superintendent of Police in Pooch Sajid Imran said one of the main suspects, Khalil, had visited Kashmir in November 2014, where he apparently came in contact with R&AW officials, says the report.

The police officer also added that the three suspects were involved in a bomb blast outside a police station in Abbaspur in September. They allegedly planted the planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

He further claimed, according to the report, that Khalil was offered Rs 500,000 for the task, adding that the police were alerted to their involvement in the blast after an individual said he spotted the trio in Abbaspur on the night of September 26 with a shopping bag in their possession. The suspects have been booked under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) and Explosives Act, Imran said.

This development follows the sentencing of former Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav earlier this week. Jadhav was sentenced to death by Pakistan military court for alleged espionage charges and his involvement in various anti-state activities. In retaliation to the judgment, India issued a strongly-worded demarche to Pakistan saying if it goes ahead with the execution it will be termed as ‘premeditated murder’, with External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj adding that the verdict could adversely impact relations between the two nations.

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