Police nabs 4 TRF OGWs in Srinagar
Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Feb 16: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) today arrested 10 Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) during raids in South and Central Kashmir.
“The SIA which was constituted recently with a mandate to investigate (cases) connected with (militancy) and secessionism, conducted overnight raids at 10 different locations in various districts of South and Central Kashmir,” it said in a statement.
These raids were primarily focused on the network of JeM. Ten identified persons who were part of OGW modules and taking instructions from (JeM) commanders have been arrested.
“The module whose members were organised in to sub-modules, in the form of verticals, so that in the event of detection of one member the bigger network does not get compromised had been painstakingly discovered through discreet surveillance in which corroborative intelligence capable of being converted to admissible evidence in court was used to ascertain and confirm the OGW membership of the individuals”, the SIA said.
The “module”, it said, could be connected to other modules through higher levels of JeM leadership. “Their discovery is likely as the investigation rolls out in coming days,” it said.
The detected portion of the module, it said, had been active in recruiting other young persons, arranging finances, transporting weapons in South and Central Kashmir besides providing other logistic support. Click here to watch video
“In the searches, besides arrests, cell phones, SIM cards, records to show use of banking channels and even a dummy pistol were seized. Among arrested persons, there is one at whose house four militants had been killed on 4th April 2020,” it said.
“The hitherto unknown module was working towards furthering (militant) activities in South and Central Kashmir,” the SIA said.
“The arrested members were mostly recruiting vulnerable school and college going students as a few of them are student themselves,” the SIA said.
“They were in close connection with the regular militants of JeM outfit and had been under surveillance for quite some time”, the SIA said.
“The digital records seized is being sent to FSL for evidence analysis and the arrested persons would be presented before the NIA court in Srinagar seeking permission for custodial questioning,” the SIA said, adding, “It is believed the arrests and subsequent follow up investigation would dent the upper ground network of (JeM) and degrade its ability to undertake (militant) activities across valley.”
In the meantime, Police today arrested four Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of The Resistance Front (TRF) in Srinagar.
The arrested OGWs have been identified as Basharat Ahmed Pampori son of Basir Ahmed Pampori of Maidanpora Srinagar, Adil Shafi Bhat son of Mohammad Shafi Bhat of Daresh Kadal, Srinagar, Muzamil Fayaz Sofi son of Fayaz Ahmed Sofi of Bagh-e- Sundar Payeen Kaksarai, Karan Nagar, Srinagar and Adil Mushtaq Mir son of Mushtaq Ahmed Mir of Bagh-e-Sundar Payeen Maidanpora.
“On the basis of reliable intelligence input, it was found that the (militant) organization TRF is active in J&K and was being orchestrated by handlers based in Pakistan. Two active militants Basit Ahmed Dar of Redwani Kulgam and Momin Gulzar of Eidgah Srinagar were using the network of Over Ground Workers in the Valley for subversive activities. These OGWs are providing logistic support and harbouring these (militants) in Kashmir valley,” a police spokesman said.
Accordingly, he said, a case FIR (No 10/2022) Under Sections 13,18,38,39 of Unlawful activities Prevention Act and Section 120B of IPC was registered in Police Station Kothibagh.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
