500 locations raided across J&K in major action against Jamaat-e-Islami

The Jammu and Kashmir Police on Wednesday intensified their crackdown on the “terror ecosystem” in the Valley, conducting raids at over 500 locations linked to individuals associated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), officials said.

Police sources said simultaneous raids were carried out across multiple districts, including Kulgam, Pulwama, Shopian, Baramulla, Ganderbal, Srinagar, and Budgam.

The searches were conducted at the residences and premises of JeI members and their associates, as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle the terror support network operating at the grassroots level, officials said.

A major focus of the operation was South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, where raids were conducted at over 200 locations. Police said Kulgam has long been considered a stronghold of Jamaat-e-Islami, which was banned by the Union Government in 2019. Officials added that during the past four days alone, more than 400 Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) had been conducted in different parts of Kulgam.

In Pulwama, police launched a series of coordinated raids targeting individuals and premises associated with the banned outfit. Multiple teams, assisted by other security agencies, carried out simultaneous searches at several identified locations, aimed at tracing networks and individuals attempting to revive JeI’s activities through proxy means.

Raids were also conducted at 17 locations in Awantipora, where police recovered incriminating material and digital devices. Several JeI members were questioned and subsequently bound down under law, officials said.

In North Kashmir, Sopore police carried out a district-wide counter-terror and anti-separatist operation, raiding over 50 locations. “The searches were based on credible inputs indicating attempts by JeI-linked elements to revive their activities under different fronts,” police said in a statement. During the operation, a significant quantity of incriminating documents, digital gadgets, and printed material linked to the banned organization was seized for detailed scrutiny. Several individuals were questioned to ascertain their involvement in unlawful activities, the police said.

Similar operations were carried out in Central Kashmir. In Ganderbal, police conducted simultaneous raids in several areas with the assistance of other security agencies, acting on inputs about renewed JeI activity.

In Srinagar, more than 150 residences were searched across all zones of the city, covering multiple police stations and police posts, with assistance from the Special Operations Group (SOG).

In Budgam, raids were conducted at the residences and premises of JeI members and their associates in Soibugh, Magam, Khansahib, Beerwah, Chadoora, and Charar-i-Sharief.