Three alleged OGWs arrested in Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Saturday claimed to have arrested three overground workers (OGWs) of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit in south Kashmir's Shopian district.

"Acting on a tip-off, a joint 'naka' (checkpost) of the state police and Army's 62 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) unit was set up near Nagbal, in the Zainapora area of Shopian," a police spokesperson said and added during the checking, three LeT OGWs - Showkat Ahmad Mir, Waseem Ahmad and Junaid Ali Bhat - were apprehended and three hand grenades were seized from their possession.

"During the questioning, the three men confessed that they were working at the behest of LeT operative Wasim Shah and were tasked with hurling grenades at police establishments and snatching the weapons of the securitymen in Shopian," he claimed. "The trio had also carried out reconnaissance of a few police pickets with a design to carry out attacks."

According to official data, over 1800 OGWs are active in different parts of the State with maximum presence in Sopore, Awantipora, Handwara and Pulwama areas of the valley.

"For every active militant in Kashmir, there are 10 OGWs lined up by their mentors. OGWs are sustaining militancy and militants act on the advice and orders of their mentors and OGWs. If OGWs withdraw their support, militants will be sitting ducks. OGWs have been line up in such a manner that they help and guide the militants to our disadvantage," a senior police officer said.