18 OGWs arrested in Kashmir: Police

Jammu and Kashmir Police on Monday claimed to have busted modules of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) militant outfits by arresting 18 of their over ground workers (OGWs) across the Valley.

“A special team was constituted in view of the recent surge in militant attacks in Tral area of Pulwama (south Kashmiir). On the basis of material evidence collected, four persons identified as Younis Nabi Naik, Fayaz Ahmad Wani, Riyaz Ahmad Ganaie and Bilal Ahmad Rather were taken into custody,” a police spokesman said.

He said that the investigation into the cases revealed their complicity in the attacks carried out in Tral.

The spokesman said that another module was busted in Khrew area of Pulwama in which six associates of the proscribed outfit JeM were arrested.

Those arrested, he said, were identified as Javaid Parray, Yasir Wani, Tahir Lone, Rafiq Bhat, Javaid Khanday and Imran Nazir.

“Huge quantity of incriminating material was recovered from this module, including gelatin sticks, detonators, materials for making IEDs and grenades,” the spokesman said.

He said that eight ‘militant associates planning to snatch weapons’ from police personnel were arrested from Baramulla and Srinagar areas.

“Based on a credible input that a criminal conspiracy has been hatched by some associates of militants to snatch weapons from on-duty police personnel, police detained eight militant accomplices,” the spokesman said.

During the course of the investigation, he claimed, incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from them.

A police officer said that the militants move freely in cars from north to south Kashmir through a well-established network of OGWs.

“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," he said.