- Will function as separate vertical 11 months after abolition
- Intelligence gathering against militants will gain momentum
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 4: In a major decision aimed at further strengthening Intelligence network to hit at terror ecosystem, the administration has ordered revival of Counter Insurgency (CI) unit of the CID immediately in Jammu and Kashmir with headquarters at Jammu and Srinagar which was the case when the unit was brought under the control of CID Special Branch in April 2022.
“The Counter Insurgency unit of the CID which once functioned as full-fledged Intelligence gathering unit against the terrorism was brought under operational control of Special Branch on April 11, 2022, which works as verification unit and oversees political side.
However, the CI wing has once again been revived as full-fledged separate entity as the need was felt for Intelligence gathering against terror ecosystem,” official sources told the Excelsior.
“To ensure the revival of Counter Intelligence as a separate vertical, the manpower of CI Jammu and Srinagar, working under the operation control of SSP Special Branch Jammu and Srinagar, has been detached with immediate effect to work under operational control and command of the SSP CI Jammu and Srinagar,” an official order said.
Recently, the Government ordered posting of SSPs Counter Intelligence in Jammu as well as Srinagar.
Sources said the manpower of Counter Intelligence, which was working under operation control of Special Branch, has been withdrawn and it will now be part of the Counter Intelligence at Jammu and Srinagar besides all district headquarters of Jammu and Kashmir.
The Special Investigation Agency (SIA), constituted by the Government on the lines of NIA, which was also drawing manpower from the CID, has got its sanctioned strength and will function as separate entity.
“Now, there will be three separate wings including the Counter Intelligence, which will exclusively focus on gathering Intelligence about terror network across Jammu and Kashmir, Special Branch which will focus on verifications and political side and SIA which will be the investigating wing in major terror-related cases,” sources said, adding all these measures are aimed at hitting at the terror ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Counter Intelligence wing will get its strength back from the Special Branch as well as Special Investigation Agency and, if required, will be equipped with more staff.
It will have its Police Stations in Jammu as well as Srinagar, which was the case earlier. Besides working as an effective Intelligence gathering unit, the Counter Insurgency wing can also undertake operations against the militants on the basis of specific inputs.
Describing Intelligence gathering as an effective part of counter-militancy operations, sources admitted that full-fledged Counter Insurgency unit was need of the hour to ensure that attempts to revive militancy in Jammu region are not allowed to succeed.
“It has been observed that militants of Doda, Kishtwar, Rajouri and Poonch districts, sitting in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Jammu Kashmir (PoJK) have been trying to revive militancy in the region by luring youth. The Intelligence agencies can thwart such designs by ensuring that youths don’t fall into trap of the militants,” sources said.
They admitted that there will be much better Intelligence network now with revival of the Counter Insurgency wing especially in tracking down the Over Ground Workers (OGWs), who serve as backbone of the militancy.
It may be mentioned here that both Dhangri carnage accused in Rajouri district remained untraced even after more than two months of the killings. Seven civilians from minority community, two of them minors, were killed and over a dozen others were injured in attack by two foreign militants at Dhangri on January 1.
“The Intelligence agencies can play very effective role in smashing support system to militants provided through the Over Ground Workers,” sources said.
It may be recalled that the Jammu and Kashmir Government had ordered merger of CID (Counter Intelligence) wing with CID (Special Branch) on April 11, 2022.
The CID (Counter Intelligence) wing, which was tasked to tackle anti-national activities, was abolished following constitution of the SIA.
The officers and officials posted in CID (Counter Intelligence) were adjusted in the CID (Special Branch).
A total of 199 CID (Counter Intelligence) officials were posted in CI Jammu wing and 183 in Kashmir office. All of them were ordered to report to respective CID (Special Branch) wings, as per an order issued on April 11, 2022.
The order now stands reversed, sources said.
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