SRINAGAR: After a series of terror strikes in the Jammu region, security forces have launched a massive crackdown against the overground workers (OGWs) of terrorist organisations to deny the outfits logistics support and prevent attacks.
Security agencies have formulated a plan to tackle terrorism in Jammu by going after the OGWs, said a top official involved in operations.
“OGWs are like eyes and ears of the terrorists. Without their support terrorists cannot move and carry out attacks,” the security official said. “OGWs besides providing logistic support to terrorists help them in doing recce of possible targets. OGWs also assist terrorists in transporting weapons and moving from one place to another,” the official added.
Police, CRPF personnel and army men in the last few days have carried out raids at multiple locations in Rajouri, Poonch, Udhampur and Kathua districts, where terror attacks took place recently.
“The operations are aimed at identifying, tracking, and apprehending OGWs and other terror suspects involved in providing support to terrorist outfits, including managing the logistics, recruitment, and facilitating the movement of arms, ammunition and funds,” another security official said.
“The searches are being conducted at multiple locations including residential houses and hideouts based on specific intelligence inputs,” the official said.
He said many OGWs and terror suspects have been arrested during the crackdown.
“Incriminating materials, including electronic devices, documents, unaccounted cash, weapons, and ammunition, were also recovered. The searches were carried out meticulously, with due care taken to avoid any collateral damage or inconvenience to innocent civilians,” the official said.
Jammu ADGP Anand Jain said investigations would continue based on the material and information gathered during the raids and searches. “Further operations are planned to target the remaining elements attempting to disrupt peace in the region,” he said, adding police would continue to conduct intelligence-based operations to dismantle terror modules.
Outfits are attempting to shift terrorism from Kashmir to the Jammu region. Over the last five years, terrorists have carried out multiple attacks on security forces in Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar.
Scores of security men, mostly army personnel, have been killed in the attacks. Many terrorists have been killed in encounters with security forces.
Meanwhile, police on Thursday attached properties of seven absconding terrorists in Kishtwar area in mountainous Doda district.
The seven terrorists, according to police, are currently operating from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) and Pakistan. They are among 36 terrorists from Kishtwar who have been declared absconders by the NIA court, Doda. Of the 36, police had identified properties of seven for attachment as part of the legal proceedings.