Searches conducted at several places
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 9: Ongoing crackdown by police against terror operatives, mostly the Over Ground Workers (OGWs) and families and relatives of the terrorists operating from Pakistan and PoJK was today extended by the police to seven districts of the Jammu region.
Searches were carried out at different places in Ramban, Kishtwar, Doda, Kathua, Reasi, Poonch and Rajouri districts, the officials said.
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The searches were intensified as intelligence reports suggest that terrorists operating in the higher reaches are looking for safe hideouts in the plains for the winter.
Police continued its efforts to strengthen the security grid and maintain peace and conducted massive cordon and search operations at multiple locations in Banihal and Gool areas in Ramban district.
The operations were carried out in a well-coordinated manner and were aimed at tracing out the suspicious activities of the relatives of those operating from Pakistan and verifying antecedents of suspected individuals, and tightening security around vulnerable areas.
During the operations, houses of relatives and known associates of active J-K-based terrorists operating from Pakistan and OGWs were put under search.
The police teams thoroughly inspected multiple premises to ensure no anti-national or unlawful activities were being carried out or supported, the officials said.
He said the drives were conducted by joint teams of the police, Army, CRPF, and SOG units along with Duty Magistrates covering various sensitive localities across the district.
The operations were carried out in an organized manner without causing any inconvenience to the general public, the officials added.
“Such operations are a part of ongoing preventive and intelligence-based measures to ensure that peace and stability in the region remain undisturbed,” they said.
Police remain committed to neutralizing any anti-national network and ensuring the safety of all citizens, they said, requesting the public at large to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and share any valuable information regarding suspicious movements or persons in their areas.
They assured that the identity of the informants would be kept confidential.
In Kishtwar, the raids were conducted at multiple locations in the subdivisions of Kishtwar, Chatroo and Marwah.
In the border district of Rajouri, houses of suspected terror operatives were searched at Shahdara Sharif, Manyal Gali, Darhal, Alal and Kandi in Thanna mandi.
“Intelligence inputs suggested that terrorists active in the higher reaches were attempting to seek shelter in plains due to winter. The raids were carried out to ensure that the terrorists don’t succeed in their plans and are neutralized,” the officials said.
Security forces carried out raids at 25 houses across Doda, each belonging to families having at least one member presently camping in PoJK, in Bhaderwah, Thathri, Gandoh, Assar and Kastigarh areas.
During operations, several OGWs and suspected terror associates were booked under preventive laws and were called at Police Stations for questioning and verification of their involvement in supporting terror-related activities.
During the searches, police teams seized several mobile phones and other materials to trace the evidence of any anti-national activities.
Police also launched an extensive inspection drive across SIM vendor outlets in Kishtwar district to enhance security and curb unauthorized distribution.
All Gazetted Officers and Station House Officers carried out the inspections of SIM vendor outlets in their respective jurisdictions as part of this coordinated district-wide exercise.
During the drive, vendors were directed to maintain complete records of all issued SIM cards, strictly follow KYC (Know Your Customer) guidelines, and refrain from selling fake or pre-activated SIM cards.
The inspections also emphasized the importance of keeping detailed records related to recharges, duplicate SIM issuance, and logs for lost or damaged SIM cards, along with the corresponding customer details.
Police reiterated the importance of transparency and integrity in the SIM issuance process to prevent potential misuse.
It advised mobile phone sellers and repair technicians to maintain accurate transaction records, including customer identification details, to ensure accountability and public safety.
Police will continue to monitor vendor activities and conduct similar inspections in the future to strengthen compliance and reinforce telecom-related security measures across the district, the officials said.
A similar drive was also conducted in the Udhampur district a few days ago, the officials said, adding that another comprehensive drive targeting SIM card vendor outlets was conducted across the Kathua district over the last two days.
“This initiative aims to strengthen the verification process for new SIM registrations and curb the potential misuse of mobile connectivity,” the officials said.
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