J&K news: SIA raids several locations in Sopore of North Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir: The State Investigation Agency (SIA) conducted raids at several locations in Sopore of North Kashmir. Sopore, Baramulla, Handwara, Ganderbal and Srinagar areas are the places where searches took place. These are in connection with an ongoing crackdown on suspected terror-related activities in the region.

Raids in South Kashmir

This comes just days after the agency carried out raids at 20 locations in South Kashmir. The agency stated it conducted raids at numerous locations in South Kashmir in a case related to sharing of “sensitive and strategic information about security forces and vital installations” through messaging applications.

“The SIA conducted searches at around 20 locations across all districts of South Kashmir in connection with the investigation of a case registered under UAPA,” the officials stated. They mentioned the large amounts of incriminating materials have been recovered during the raids, and the suspects have been rounded up for further interrogation.

In an official release, SIA said, “J&K police are keeping a surveillance on the terror associates and over ground workers (OGW) working in Kashmir. Technical intelligence indicated that a host of sleeper cells in Kashmir were in direct contact with their handlers based in Pakistan and were involved in conveying sensitive and strategic information about security forces and vital installations via messaging apps including but not limited to WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal and so on.”

The officials stated these terror associates were also engaged in online radical propaganda at the request of terrorist commanders of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammed, impinging upon the national security and integrity.

What is SIA?

The SIA was established in 2021 as the nodal agency for “coordinating with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other central agencies and shall take such other measures as may be necessary for speedy and effective investigation and prosecution of terrorism related cases”.

(With inputs from PTI)