JAMMU, Sept 12: To check spread of radicalization of youth in the region being done by the terrorists sitting in Pakistan and PoJK, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) today carried out raids at five places including four in border district of Poonch and another in Udhampur, two of them women, and seized mobile telephones and incriminating documents to ascertain their links across the border.
There have been reports that the youth from some parts of the Jammu region, who exfiltrated to Pakistan and PoJK long back and joined ranks of the terrorists or are working with Pakistan army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), have been establishing contacts with some persons using different mobile telephone Apps with a view to radicalize the youth and lure them into terrorism.
“Five persons, including two women, who had repeatedly been approached by the terrorists from Pakistan/PoJK, were on radar of the SIA and their houses were searched today,” sources told the Excelsior.
They include Rahil Parvaiz son of Parvaiz Ahmed, Mohammad Amin son of Habib Ullah, both residents of Sailan, Surankote, Rashida Bi wife of Bashir Ahmed R/o Ward No. 5 Fazlabad, Surankote and Munawar Hussain son of Mohammad Ismail, a resident of Dangri Challan, Mandi, all in Poonch district; and Bano wife of Raj Ali R/o Birnoo Jandror in Ramnagar tehsil of Udhampur district.
Sources said the radicalization attempts are being repeatedly made from across the border and these five persons were found communicating with suspicious persons across the border. In view of this, their houses were searched and their mobile telephones and incriminating material were recovered.
“The mobile telephones are being sent for accessing data to get the numbers from which calls were received and the persons to whom they approached further for joining the terror ranks at the behest of operatives from Pakistan and PoJK,” the sources said.
Security agencies have reports that some of the youth who crossed over to Pakistan and PoJK quite some time back from Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal range have joined the terror ranks and are trying to rope in youth to become terrorists or Over Ground Workers (OGWs). Attempts are being made first to radicalize the youth, the sources said, adding the SIA has registered a case in this regard and investigations are going on.
An official statement said the State Investigation Agency, Jammu, today conducted searches at five locations in Mandi and Surankote areas of district Poonch and Ramnagar area of district Udhampur in connection with an ongoing investigation into a case involving alleged propagation of secessionist narratives and radicalisation activities through online and offline communication channels, including social media platforms from across the border.
During the course of investigation, the statement said, certain individuals were found to be allegedly communicating with suspicious persons located across the Line of Control (LoC)/border.
The searches are aimed at collecting and verifying relevant material and evidence in furtherance of the ongoing investigation, the statement said.
