In a significant move to dismantle terror networks, Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) Police have conducted extensive raids across the valley, targeting over 50 locations. The operation, which intensified over the weekend, aims to disrupt the logistical, financial, and ideological support systems that sustain cross-border terrorism.
The crackdown spans multiple districts within both the Jammu and Kashmir Valley divisions. In the Jammu division, large-scale Cordon-and-Search Operations (CASOs) were carried out in areas including Ramban, Kathua, Rajouri, and Doda. These operations involved joint teams comprising the police, Army, CRPF, and Special Operations Group (SOG), and were conducted under the supervision of senior police officials. The focus was on relatives and associates of J&K natives operating from Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (POJK), with the authorities verifying the antecedents of suspicious individuals and securing vulnerable zones. During the operations, houses of active militants and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were searched, with teams inspecting premises for any anti-national activities.
In the Kashmir Valley, the police launched "Operation Dismantle," targeting properties linked to "JKNOP" (Jammu and Kashmir Nationals Operating from Pakistan) across ten districts, including Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag, Pulwama, Ganderbal, Kupwara, Budgam, Bandipora, Srinagar, and Baramulla. This operation is aimed at dismantling the networks that provide logistical, financial, and ideological support to cross-border militancy, particularly from individuals who have crossed the Line of Control (LoC) to join banned outfits like Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Police sources have indicated that declining local recruitment and a shift toward family-based support networks triggered the raids. Additionally, Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) conducted Valley-wide raids at ten locations in Srinagar, Kulgam, Baramulla, Shopian, and Pulwama, acting on credible intelligence about online glorification of terrorism and youth radicalization. CIK teams, supported by local police, targeted individuals allegedly misusing social media to incite violence, spread propaganda, and foster communal hatred.
In Baramulla, police carried out numerous operations aimed at strengthening preventive measures against anti-national elements and enhancing community safety. During these operations, 25 properties linked to PoJK/Pakistan-based Kashmiri natives were searched, leading to 19 individuals being bound down under preventive provisions of the law, 22 properties associated with OGWs were searched, 17 OGWs were bound down, and 3 were sent to jail under preventive detention.
The J&K Police's intensified crackdown reflects a multi-pronged approach to counter-terrorism, focusing on dismantling support networks, preventing radicalization, and ensuring community safety. These operations are intelligence-based and aim to strengthen the security grid and promote lasting peace in the region.
