Half-a-dozen people including Govt employees identified
*Forensic examination awaited; UAPA, PSA to be slapped
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 1: Following elimination of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) commander Saifullah and his three colleagues in the hills of Kishtwar last month, Police, SOG and Intelligence agencies have been hunting for the Over Ground Workers (OGWs) who voluntarily helped them in sustaining for couple of or even more years in the mountains and have zeroed-in on half a dozen of them. A couple of Government employees are also on the radar of security agencies for helping the terrorists.
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Officials confirmed to the Excelsior that they have come across the OGW network in upper reaches of Kishtwar where dreaded Pakistani terrorists including Saifullah operated for couple of years. Saifullah survived 17 encounters before being eliminated by the troops in upper reaches of Chatroo on February 23.
“It was a mystery as to how the foreign terrorists survived for two or even more years in upper reaches of Kishtwar though sometimes they used to shift to surrounding mountains of Doda, Udhampur and Kathua districts. Post Saifullah’s killings, certain photographs also appeared which showed him and his colleagues enjoying biryani in a house,’’ the sources said, adding the OGW network was being searched even when Saifullah was alive but the investigations gained momentum after his killing.
Some of the photographs, they said, have been sent for Forensic examination and their results are expected shortly. This will act as strong evidence against those who sheltered enemies of the nation.
As per the officials, there are some persons who were forced to give food, water and other goods to the terrorists at gun point while some others offered all kind of assistance to the anti-national elements voluntarily including the biryani.
“Those who gave shelter to the terrorists and helped them sustain even in extreme chill with food, warm clothing etc have been listed as the OGWs and will be treated like the terrorists by booking them under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Two Government employees are also under scanner and if their role is established in helping the terrorists, they will face termination from the services,’’ the officials said.
Dossiers of some of the OGWs are being prepared for detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA).
“Busting of the OGW network will go a long way in checking any further movement of terrorists in Kishtwar,’’ the officials said, adding with the elimination of Israel gang, as Saifullah and his colleagues were known, the foreign terrorists have been neutralized in Kishtwar. However, the possibility of terrorists from neighbouring, Doda, Udhampur or Kathua districts shifting to Kishtwar can’t be ruled out though at present no such movement has been noticed.
Saifullah along with two foreign terrorists was killed in Kishtwar on February 23 while one of their colleagues was eliminated 20 days prior to that. Their killing was a big success for security forces as Saifullah had managed to escape 17 times during gun battles before being finally eliminated.
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