In a major counter-terror operation, the Kulgam Police in Kashmir on Wednesday conducted raids at over 200 locations linked to members of the banned organisation Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and their associates. The raids come amid a broader anti-terror crackdown following the Red Fort car blast in Delhi earlier this week, which killed nine people and injured over twenty.
According to officials, the raids were part of sustained efforts to dismantle the terror ecosystem and support networks operating in the Valley. Incriminating materials and digital devices were recovered during the searches, while several JeI members were interrogated and bound down under preventive laws to trace terror funding and logistical networks.
Over the past four days, authorities have conducted more than 400 Cordon and Search Operations (CASOs) across the region, targeting Over Ground Workers (OGWs), JKNOP affiliates, and hideouts of active or killed terrorists. Nearly 500 individuals have been interrogated, with many shifted to District Jail Mattan in Anantnag under preventive detention.
The Kulgam Police reaffirmed its zero-tolerance policy toward terrorism, stating that no element attempting to disturb peace and public order would be spared.
Link to Delhi Blast Investigation
The crackdown comes as part of a nationwide follow-up to the Delhi Red Fort explosion, where a Hyundai i20 car detonated near the Red Fort Metro Station at around 6:52 pm on November 10. Initial investigation revealed that the car had been parked for 12 days inside the Al-Falah Medical College campus in Faridabad, before being driven to Delhi by Dr. Umar Nabi, who is suspected to have triggered the blast accidentally after his close aides were arrested.
The blast, which intelligence agencies now classify as an accidental IED detonation, is linked to a “white-collar” terror module involving multiple medical professionals. Dr. Muzammil Shakeel and Dr. Adeel Ahmad Rather were arrested from Faridabad with 2,900 kg of explosives, assault rifles, and other weapons. Another accused, Dr. Shaheen Saeed, was detained on Tuesday for allegedly working to build a women’s wing of the Pakistan-based terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in India.
Preliminary intelligence suggests the module had handlers operating from abroad, with funding channels and communication networks currently under forensic investigation.
As India’s counter-terror agencies widen their probe, sources confirm that Delhi Police, NIA, and J&K Police are coordinating closely to determine the full extent of the network that may have been planning multiple attacks across northern India.
Background
The powerful blast near Red Fort was initially believed to be a suicide bombing, but forensic reports later indicated that the device detonated improperly assembled IED components, limiting the scale of damage. The attack, however, has triggered heightened security across Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir, with major city checkpoints on alert and high-level reviews underway at the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Disclaimer: The information provided is based on official sources and current reports. Investigations are ongoing.
