JAMMU: National Investigation Agency (NIA) carried out Thursday raids at multiple locations across Jammu to dismantle networks of civilian overground workers (OGWs) who facilitate infiltration of terrorists and offer them logistics support, official sources said.
“NIA raided around eight locations in connection with a case involving terrorist infiltration. Raids are underway in Reasi, Doda, Udhampur, Ramban and Kishtwar districts,” an official source said. The NIA teams were escorted by local police and CRPF.
The coordinated operations come amid a spurt in terror attacks in Jammu region, leading to 19 security force fatalities this year. At least two dozen terrorists have also been killed.
On Nov 11, Naib Subedar Rakesh Kumar of Army’s 2 Para was killed and three soldiers injured during an operation in the dense forests of Kishtwar district to find terrorists who had shot dead two village defence guards (VDGs).
On Aug 14, an Army captain was martyred and a terrorist gunned down in an operation in Assar of Doda. On July 16, four army personnel, including a captain, died fighting terrorists in Dessa area of Doda. On June 12, two terrorists and a CRPF jawan were killed in a gunbattle in Kathua district. The worst of such attacks occurred on June 9 when terrorists targeted a bus filled with pilgrims in Reasi, killing nine people and injuring 41.
Intelligence agencies said all attacks were planned by foreign terrorists who infiltrated J&K and were supported by OGWs. In April, similar NIA raids on OGWs linked to the banned Laskhar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Al-Badr and their new offshoots had unearthed a large trove of digital devices with incriminating data.