“Suspects , Inmates Were In Continuous Touch With The Handlers, Members Of Militant Organizations Across The Border”, Says Police
“Investigating Agencies Also Probing Security Lapse That Allowed Digital Devices To Reach Jail Premises, Broader Objective Is To Dismantle The Militant Ecosystem”
Operation Aimed To Uncover Crucial Evidence, Curb Illicit Activities, Prevent Misuse Of Communication Devices Like Mobile Phones, Within High-Security Zones Like Jails”
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Police’s Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) wing, along with the State Investigation Agency (SIA), conducted raids in Central Jail Srinagar on Wednesday as part of an investigation into a militancy-related case, officials said.
During the raid, several digital devices, including mobile phones, were recovered from the jail inmates. Officials said that teams from the two agencies searched different blocks and barracks of the jail.
The operation was part of an ongoing investigation into a case where technical signatures were detected within the jail premises. The searches were conducted pursuant to a search warrant issued by the Court of the Special Judge designated under the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Act, Srinagar, in a case registered last year under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Police revealed that the case involves a broader conspiracy orchestrated by militant organizations operating in Jammu and Kashmir and across the Line of Control. These activities are allegedly carried out at the behest of Pakistani agencies, in collaboration with overground workers (OGWs), supporters, facilitators, and sympathizers in the Kashmir Valley.
These groups are reportedly working to establish new militant modules, leveraging social media platforms to radicalize, provoke, and lure Kashmiri youth into unlawful and militancy related activities or to join the ranks of these organizations.
During the investigation, it emerged that mobile phones and other digital devices were being used within the Central Jail premises by under-trials and these facilitated communication with active militants and enabled the transmission of instructions from handlers across the border for carrying out militancy related activities.
“The suspects and inmates were in continuous touch with the handlers and members of militant organizations across the border thereby receiving directions and passing on to the militants’ active in Kashmir valley. As such, the searches were conducted in different blocks and barracks of Central Jail Srinagar wherein incriminating material in the form of SIM cards, Mobile phones and other digital devices having bearing on the investigation of the case have been recovered and seized in the case,” police said. The investigating agencies are also probing the security lapse that allowed these digital devices to reach the jail premises. Identifying the facilitators and collaborators involved in this breach has become a key focus of the investigation, police added.
Police said this operation aimed to uncover crucial evidence, curb illicit activities, and prevent the misuse of communication devices, such as mobile phones, within high-security zones like jails. The broader objective is to dismantle the militant ecosystem Jammu & Kashmir by identifying and taking legal action against OGWs and other individuals who support and abet militancy through the misuse of communication technologies.
