Srinagar: The State Investigation Agency (SIA), Kashmir, on May 11 delivered a significant blow to a suspected terror network, conducting extensive searches across approximately 20 locations spanning all districts of South Kashmir. 1 This operation, linked to the ongoing investigation of FIR No. 01/2025 under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P)), targeted a suspected sleeper cell allegedly involved in conveying sensitive and strategic information regarding security forces and vital installations.
Acting on crucial technical intelligence, the J&K police, through the SIA, had been monitoring the activities of suspected terror associates and overground workers (OGWs) operating within the region. The intelligence revealed that numerous sleeper cells in Kashmir were in direct communication with handlers based in Pakistan. These clandestine communications, facilitated through popular messaging applications such as WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, were reportedly used to transmit critical details about security operations and strategic locations.
Furthermore, the investigation suggests that these individuals were actively involved in disseminating radical propaganda online at the behest of terrorist commanders associated with prominent terror outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad. These online activities are believed to be aimed at undermining national security and integrity by promoting anti-India narratives and inciting public disorder and communal disharmony.
The coordinated raids across South Kashmir resulted in the seizure of substantial incriminating materials. While the specific nature of these materials has not yet been disclosed, their seizure underscores the seriousness of the alleged activities. Several suspects have also been rounded up and are currently undergoing thorough questioning as the investigation progresses.
Preliminary findings from the SIA’s investigation have reportedly established a clear link between these entities and a broader terrorist conspiracy. The agency asserts that the individuals targeted were actively engaged in propagating and furthering anti-India narratives with the intention of challenging India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Their alleged actions also aimed at instigating disaffection, public disorder, and communal hatred within the region.
This decisive action by the SIA highlights the ongoing and intensified efforts by security agencies to dismantle terror networks operating in Jammu and Kashmir.
