SRINAGAR: Coming down heavily on terror Over Ground Workers (OGWs) across the Valley in the wake of the killing of a local policeman in J&K’s Anantnag district yesterday, police rounded up around 3,500 OGWs during the last 24 hours.
Top police officials told IANS that around 3,500 suspected OGWs have been detained across Kashmir in the last 24 hours following the killing of J&K Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Quraishi in the Anantnag terror attack.
The large‑scale crackdown is part of intensified security operations aimed at identifying and dismantling the terror support network across the Valley. Searches and raids are continuing at multiple locations.
In addition to this, two houses of active Lashkar‑e‑Taiba (LeT) terrorists were demolished in Anantnag district on Thursday. Officials said the action came a day after terrorists killed a head constable of J&K Police in Anantnag town.
Head constable Ashiq Hussain Quraishi of the 3rd Battalion of Armed Police was posted on Yatra duty when the attack occurred. He belonged to Beerwah in Budgam district.
J&K L‑G Manoj Sinha and former chief minister Omar Abdullah condemned the terror attack. The L‑G vowed in his post on X that the murder of the policeman would not go unpunished and those responsible would be brought to justice.
A wreath‑laying ceremony was held at the district police lines in Anantnag to pay tribute to the martyred policeman. Hundreds attended his funeral in his native town, and scores of people continue to offer condolences to the bereaved family.
The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack. The organisation is an offshoot of Lashkar‑e‑Taiba, a Pakistan‑based UN‑designated terrorist group.
Formed using cadres of Lashkar‑e‑Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen in the aftermath of the 2019 abrogation of J&K’s special status, TRF uses non‑religious nomenclature and symbolism to project a secular image but has carried out targeted killings of locals from religious minority communities.
The group maintains a significant social media presence, some of which Indian media traces to Pakistan.
--IANS
