In another wide-ranging crackdown in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian police, backed by paramilitary forces, have detained approximately 200 Kashmiri youths across the Kashmir Valley, branding them as so-called over-ground workers.According to Kashmir Media Service, the large-scale operation began on Saturday and continued into Sunday morning at several locations, including Srinagar and other parts of the Kashmir Valley.

In coordinated raids targeting what authorities termed an “OGW network,” nearly 200 youths were taken into custody under the pretext of questioning.The label “over-ground workers” is widely seen as a term coined by the Indian military establishment to legitimize the arrest of ordinary Kashmiris.While police claim the detentions are intended to disrupt alleged support systems for pro-freedom groups, human rights observers and local residents caution that such actions often ensnare civilians with no proven links to militancy.

They warn that the broad use of the “OGW” label fuels fear among the population and erodes basic rights, noting that mass detentions frequently occur without transparent legal grounds or due process in the occupied territory. The crackdown comes amid ongoing heightened cordon-and-search operations across the occupied territory. Hundreds of coordinated raids, cordon-and-search operations, and interrogations of individuals have taken place over recent weeks, reflecting a sustained and wide-ranging strategy by the occupation authorities. 

Human rights groups say the wave of arrests further highlights the erosion of civil and political rights in Kashmir, where arrests are often justified under the pretext of “preventive detention” through draconian laws. They caution that such operations deepen mistrust among the population and exacerbate the already fragile socio-political environment in the territory.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)