NEW DELHI: In order to curb militant recruitment in Valley, the security agencies are now going after militant sympathizers also known as Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and have arrested at least 40 OGWs of different militant outfits in 2020 so far.
A police official said the OGWs forms an important and vital bone of the militancy in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Valley.
“Without OGWs, the militants cannot operate. The OGWs are eyes and ears of the militants. We are focusing our attention on OGWs to break the bone of militancy,” he said.
According to the official, the continued operation against OGWs would ensure further fall in militancy and local militant recruitment in Valley.
The security agencies have arrested at least 40 OGWs of JeM, Lashkar-e-Toiba and Hizbul Mujahideen during specific raids in south, central and north Kashmir so far.
“Of the 40 OGWs arrested so far this year, 22 were arrested in February while 18 were arrested in January this year,” a security official said.
According to the official, the information provided by the arrested OGWs has helped avert major attacks in the Valley. He cited the instance of arrest of five OGWs of Jaish-e-Mohammad in Srinagar during probe into two grenade attacks in Srinagar.