In yet another sweeping crackdown operation in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Indian police, supported by Indian paramilitary forces, have detained around 200 Kashmiri youth, labelling them as over-ground workers, across the Kashmir Valley.
The large-scale operation, launched on Saturday, continued on Sunday morning at multiple locations, including Srinagar city and other parts of the Valley. During coordinated raids targeting what the authorities described as an “OGW network,” around 200 youth were arrested in the name of questioning. The term OGWs has been coined by the Indian military establishment to justify the arrest of ordinary Kashmiris.
Police statements claim that the detentions are aimed at cutting off support structures for pro-freedom groups, but rights observers and local voices warn that such detentions sweep up ordinary civilians, intensifying a climate of fear and undermining fundamental freedoms in the occupied territory. Critics note that broad labels like “OGW” are frequently used to justify mass detentions without a transparent legal basis or due process.
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.
