Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir):The year 2023 has witnessed the arrest of 122 Over Ground Workers (OGWs), 15 Hybrid Militants, and 21 Terrorists by security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Of them, 19 have been taken into custody from Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, and 42 from the Baramulla district in north Kashmir. Interestingly, seven women have also been detained on suspicion of being OGWs for militant outfits.
"11 militants, 14 Hybrid militants and 109 OGWs have been arrested from ten districts of Kashmir while the remaining 24 have been arrested from the Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi of Jammu province," the data shared by the Jammu and Kashmir police reveals. The data also reveals that "the majority of those detained had ties to Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). Both technical and human intelligence led to the majority of the arrests in the region."
42 persons in all, including 6 militants, 5 hybrids, and 31 OGWs, were arrested in Baramulla, according to the data. Four militants, one hybrid, and fourteen OGWs were taken into custody in Srinagar. Ten OGWs and five hybrids were arrested in Kulgam. Meanwhile, five OGWs, two hybrids, and one militant were arrested in Shopian."
"While four OGWs were arrested in Anantnag, 14 arrests were made in Pulwama which included one hybrid and 13 OGWs," according to the data. The data reveals that two women were detained in Poonch, two in Baramulla and two in Bandipora, and one in Pulwama. Although the police have not disclosed the affiliation of four of the seven women to any militant outfit, they were detained on suspicion of working for militant groups in Jammu and Kashmir. One was allegedly working for JeM, and the other two were associated with TRF.
Most of this year's arrests were made in September, when security forces apprehended 17 OGWs, 6 Hybrid militants, and 3 Militants from different areas of the region.
"Two OGWs and two militants were taken into custody in January. Six militants and fourteen OGWs were taken into custody in February, while two militants, two hybrids, and three OGWs were taken into custody in March. Likewise, in April, two militants and seven OGWs were apprehended; in May, fifteen OGWs were apprehended. In June, seven OGWs and five extremists were taken into custody," the data reveals.
It further reveals, "One hybrid and nineteen OGWs were arrested in July, while two hybrids and eighteen OGWs were taken into custody in August. Eight OGWs were apprehended in November after four OGWs were arrested in October. Eight OGWs, four hybrids, and one militant were taken into custody in December."
On the association of the arrested persons with the militant outfits, the data highlights that 60 OGWs of LeT and nine Hybrids of TRF were among those arrested this year. "Seven militants, seven Hybrids and 60 OGWs associated with LeT were arrested this year. One militant and 11 OGWs associated with Hizbul Mujahideen were arrested. JeM's five militants and 12 OGWs were arrested and TRF's seven militants, nine hybrids and six OGWs have also been arrested," the data reveals. "The remaining 27 are either associated with lesser known outfits like AUGH and Al-Badr or their affiliation has not been established by the police. 51.28 percent of the arrested OGWs were associated with LeT."
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