Srinagar: Several digital devices including mobile phones were seized during searches at Central Jail Srinagar by Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) and the Special Investigation Agency (SIA) of J&K Police Tuesday.
Officials said that the searches were carried out under a warrant issued by the Hon’ble Court of Special Judge, Designated under the NIA Act, Srinagar, in case FIR No. 06/2023 under sections 153-A, 505, 121, and 120-B of the IPC, in conjunction with sections 13 and 39 of the UA(P) Act.
It said the case pertains to a “larger conspiracy hatched by proscribed terrorist organizations operating within J&K and across the LoC at the behest of Pakistani agencies, in connivance with their OGWs/supporters/ facilitators/ sympathizers in Kashmir valley.”
“They are continuously in process of creating ‘new terror modules’ (gangs) wherein by misusing various social media applications, youths of Kashmir are lured by varied ways and means including radicalization/instigation/provocation etc. with the intention to make the youths indulge in unlawful and terrorist activities and also to join terrorist ranks for furthering the activities of these terrorist organizations,” police said.
“During investigation of the instant case, it emerged that mobile phones/devices are being used in Central Jail, Srinagar premises by under-trial terrorists/OGWs/supporters/sympathizers of various proscribed terrorist organizations for communicating with active terrorists and passing on directions so received from the handlers sitting across for furtherance of terrorist activities,” police said.
“The suspects/inmates were in continuous touch with the handlers / members of terrorist organization(s) across the border thereby receiving directions and passing on to the terrorists active in Kashmir valley,” it said.
Police said searches were conducted in different blocks/barracks of Central Jail Srinagar and “incriminating material in the form of SIM cards, mobile phones and other digital devices having bearing on the investigation of the case have been recovered and seized.”
According to police, the investigating agencies are also looking into the aspect of security breach of Central Jail premises as to how these digital communication devices reached inside the jail premises. Facilitators/collaborators in this act will also become the subject of investigation, it said.
Police said the operation is aimed at to uncover crucial evidence, curb illicit activities, prevent the misuse of communication devices, such as mobile phones, within the security zones including the jails and “dismantling the terror ecosystem in the UT by not only identifying terrorist associates/Over Ground Workers (OGWs) supporting and abetting terrorism by misusing the mobile phones but by ensuring legal action against them as envisaged by the law of the land.”
“Collaborators and facilitators involved in this act are now a focus of the ongoing investigation,” the statement said, adding that the operation is part of a broader effort to uncover crucial evidence, curb illicit activities, and prevent the misuse of communication devices like mobile phones in high-security zones such as jails.
