SIA raids 20 places in South Kashmir, busts Over Ground Workers network

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday informed that they raided at least 20 locations and busted a network of suspected Over Ground Workers who were allegedly in touch with their handlers in Pakistan.

The State Investigation Agency of the J&K Police said: "Technical intelligence indicated that a host of sleeper cells in Kashmir were in direct contact with their handlers based in Pakistan and were involved in conveying sensitive and strategic information about security forces and vital installations via messaging apps, including but not limited to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and so on," read the official statement of SIA.

They said the J&K police is keeping a surveillance on the "terror associates and Over Ground Workers" in Kashmir. "These terror associates were also involved in online radical propaganda on the behest of terrorist commanders of Lashkar-e- Taiba and Jaish-e- Muhammad, impinging upon the national security and integrity," said the SIA.

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They conducted searches at around 20 locations across all districts of southern Kashmir in connection with the investigation of the case registered earlier this year under sections 13, 17, 18, 18-B, 38, 39 UA(P) Act. Officials claimed that during the raids, substantial "incriminating material" had been seized and the suspects have been rounded up for further questioning.

Preliminary investigation, officials said, has clearly brought out that these entities are "actively engaged in terrorist conspiracy, propagating and furthering anti-India narratives" aimed not only at challenging the "sovereignty and territorial integrity of India" but also at inciting disaffection, public disorder, and communal hatred. "It will continue to take firm action against individuals or groups involved in any kind of secessionist and terrorist activities," the statement read.