South Asia Terrorism Portal

India

India: J&K: OGWs – Cogs in the Machinery
Bulbul Prakash
Research Assistant, Institute for Conflict Management

On June 12, 2023, General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir, J&K)-based 15 Corps Lt. Gen. Amardeep Singh Aujla stated that many Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of terrorist groups, who act as conduits for them, have been picked up. Though he did not provide any specific number, according to partial data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), at least 738 OGWs have been arrested since 2001 (data till June 18, 2023). This includes seven arrests of OGWs in 2023, so far:

May 7, 2023: Security Forces (SFs) arrested an ex-militant turned OGW, identified as Rafiq Ahmad Khan, from Kralpora village in Kupwara District, along with a grenade. During preliminary investigations, he has revealed that the grenade was received by him from the Chogul area of Handwara District and was to be delivered to a contact in Kralpora on the instructions of his Pakistan-based Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) handler. The grenade was to target SFs.

May 7: Police arrested two OGWs, identified as Mushtaq Ahmed and Nisar Ahmed, and recovered arms and ammunition from their hideouts in the Mendhar area of Poonch District.

April 29: District authorities in Rajouri booked an OGW, Waqar Hussain Bajran, under the Public Safety Act (PSA), for engaging in anti-national activities and working as an active guide/facilitator for terrorist organisations.

February 18: Three OGWs of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM), Mohammad Abass Wagay, Gowhar Shafi Mir and Nisar Rehman Sheikh, were arrested from the Kulgam District. One pistol, two magazines and 13 live rounds were recovered from their possession.

Of the total 738 OGWs arrests since 2000, 256 have been recorded after August 5, 2019. While 14 OGWs were arrested between August 6 and December 31, 2019, at least 131 were arrested in 2020, 62 in 2021, and 42 in 2022. The data indicates a significant spike in the number of OGWs in J&K since the abrogation of Article 370.

The issue of OGWs and their involvement with terrorists in J&K remains an enduring concern in the region's security landscape. While a precise definition of OGWs is lacking, the J&K Police broadly identify them as “anyone who supports militants”. These actors assume a pivotal role, offering logistical, material, and moral support to terrorists. They also facilitate communications between terrorists and their handlers across borders. Functioning as the "eyes" and "ears" of terrorists, they actively contribute to the planning and execution of attacks, without actually taking part in any violent activity themselves.

However, there have been some fatal incidents in which OGWs were directly involved, including:

December 1, 2021: A traffic policeman in Srinagar was injured in a shooting in the Rajouri Kadal area of Srinagar District. Investigations revealed that the 19-year-old accused, Tajamul Bilal Dar, was a Jaish-e-Muhammed (JeM) OGW, providing support and shelter to terrorists Waseem Qadir Mir and Aqib Mushtaq.

November 16, 2021: Four individuals, including a foreign terrorist and his local OGW associate, and a civilian, were killed in an overnight encounter in the Hyderpora area of Srinagar District in J&K. The foreign terrorist, identified as Haider from The Resistance Front (TRF)/Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), was harboured by the OGW Mudasir Gul, who also ran a call centre and property business from a rented space in the building.

OGWs also play a significant role in facilitating terrorist funding by various means. In the case of terrorist groups such as LeT, HM, and JeM, OGW networks are instrumental in ensuring movement of financial resources. These funds serve as a crucial lifeline for terrorist organizations, enabling them to finance their activities and sustain their operations. OGW teams, typically consisting of two to three members, are strategically deployed on a rotational basis, to collect cash from various sources, including hawala (illegal money transfer) operators, Line of Control (LoC) traders, or individuals needing to transfer

money to relatives across the LoC. Once the OGW team collects the funds, it is transferred to field ‘commanders’ through a complex chain of intermediaries. The rotational deployment of OGW teams ensures that the detection of one person does not disrupt the overall flow of funds. To mitigate risks, transactions are often broken down into small amounts, minimizing potential losses in the event of detection. These OGWs also have the capability of simultaneously extending their support to multiple terrorist organizations.

The OGW problem is further compounded by the fact that many of them are radicalized youth who have been indoctrinated by the terrorist organizations. The individuals recruited range in age from 7 to 32 years, and typically the Public Safety Act (PSA) is enforced on them. These youth are often disillusioned with the government and the SFs, and are easy targets for terrorist organizations. In one incident demonstrating the radicalisation of a young OGW, on December 9, 2018, a 14-year-old boy, Mudasir Rashid Parray, was among three LeT terrorists killed in an encounter in Srinagar District. Mudasir had gone missing from his home in Hajin town in Bandipora District and his picture holding an AK-47 later surfaced on social media, confirming his involvement with the terrorist group. He was said to be an OGW of two LeT ‘commanders’.

Additionally, the involvement of women OGWs in recent terrorist activities in Kashmir has become a new challenge for SFs.

On April 10, 2023, SFs neutralised a terrorist module and arrested two LeT OGWs, Farooq Ahmad Parra and Saima Bashir, the latter, a woman from Baramulla District. On May 16, 2022, a woman, identified as Sheema Shafi Waza, an OGW, was arrested along with a module of six other terror activists in the Bandipora District.

Meanwhile, OGWs have infiltrated various sectors of society, including government services, the media, the legal professions, and educational institutions. Their presence across diverse domains poses a considerable challenge in effectively identifying and countering their influence.

On May 13, 2022, a teacher in the School Education Department, a professor in the chemistry department of Kashmir University, and a Police constable, were terminated from their positions as they were identified as OGWs involved in radicalizing individuals.

On July 11, 2021, a medical assistant at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences in Srinagar District, and an Agriculture Department worker were dismissed for working as OGWs and aiding terrorists by providing information on security forces' movements and abetting and harbouring terrorists.

Historically known as Soyath (wick) or Pout Palaw (tail of a shirt), OGWs were not considered of great significance as they had not crossed the LoC to receive arms training. However, there are now reports of several OGWs making such efforts. On February 26, 2021, SFs arrested three OGWs who were trying to cross the LoC in Kupwara for arms training in Pakistan occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The trio had established contacts with a militant ‘commander’ in Pakistan and were on their way to cross the LoC via Kupwara, to meet him

By aiding terrorists in evading SFs, furnishing them with valuable intelligence on security force movements, and providing critical logistical support, OGWs create a formidable challenge for Counter-terrorism (CT) forces.

The issue of the growing use of OGWs, consequently, needs to be tackled urgently if terrorism is to be neutralized in J&K. On February 13, 2023, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), Jammu Zone, Mukesh Singh, thus observed, “Neutralising a terrorist is not enough unless all those involved in harbouring and supporting him are identified and brought to justice.”

Meanwhile, to counter OGW networks and curb terror funding, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted raids in various locations throughout 2023. The NIA's efforts include attaching properties of OGWs involved in supporting terrorist organizations, targeting individuals, recovering assets, and gathering evidence to disrupt the activities of OGWs and associated terrorist groups.

Most recently, on May 31, 2023, the NIA carried out searches at three locations in Srinagar and Budgam Districts, at the residential premises of sympathisers and cadres, hybrid terrorists and OGWs linked to newly-formed offshoots and affiliates of proscribed Pakistan-backed terror outfits such as the LeT, JeM, HM, Al-Badr and Al-Qaeda. Earlier, on May 9, 2023, the NIA attached the properties of Fayaz Ahmad Magray, an OGW, for his role in supporting JeM terrorists. The properties included six shops constructed over land measuring 5.5 Marlas in Lethpora, Pulwama District.

Addressing the OGWs problem requires collaborative efforts, vigilant security agencies, and targeted strategies. It is crucial to tackle underlying causes, including youth radicalization and limited economic opportunities in the region. Collaborative efforts involving multiple agencies are essential for identifying and analysing the networks of OGWs, terrorists, and anti-national elements, enabling accurate intelligence assessment based on ground realities. Careful and targeted legal actions is required, ensuring that only the most deeply involved OGWs are prosecuted. Indiscriminate enforcement of such measures against young individuals eliminates their potential for rehabilitation and increases their vulnerability to terrorist indoctrination. By investing in education, skill development, and socio-economic initiatives, the government and civil society can provide a positive path for the youth of Kashmir, blocking off pathways to radicalization.

India

India: Telangana: Bhadradri Kothagudem – Residual Risks
Deepak Kumar Nayak
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management

On June 9, 2023, the Police arrested the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) Pamedu Local Organising Squad (LOS) ‘commander’, Gotta Bujji alias Kamala alias Laxmi (29), at the Taliperu Dam in the Cherla Mandal (administrative sub division) of Bhadradri Kothagudem District. Bujji, a native of Cherpalli village under Bhupalapatnam Police Station of the Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh, came to the Taliperu Dam area along with other Maoists and ‘militia’ (people’s army of the Maoists) members with the intention of killing the police personnel. Bujji’s associates fled from the spot on encountering the Police. Police seized one electric detonator, five gelatin sticks, four batteries, and two 50 metre bundles of Cordex wire.

On June 6, 2023, the Police arrested three CPI-Maoist cadres – Poonem Nageswara Rao, Devasuri Mallikarjuna Rao and Palle Pogula alias Umashankar – during vehicle checks at Devanagaram under the Cherla Mandal in the Bhadradri Kothagudem District. Ten gelatin sticks, 160 meters of cordex wire, five electric detonators, one drone camera and one lathe machine were seized from the arrested couriers.

On May 22, 2023, Police arrested five cadres of the CPI-Maoist and five ‘militia’ members from the Mulakanapalli Forest area in the Dummugudem Mandal (administrative division) of Bhadradri Kothagudem District. Superintendent of Police (SP), Vineeth G., disclosed that the Police seized 500 detonators, 600 slurry sticks, 90 bundles of cordex wire, two motorcycles, a tractor and a pick-up truck, from the arrestees. The arrestees had procured the material at the directions of the top Maoist leadership. The material was intended for the manufacture of landmines, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and rocket launchers.

According to partial data collated by the South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP), at least 28 Maoists/associates have been arrested during search operations and combing raids in the Bhadradri Kothagudem District since the beginning of the current year (all data till June 18, 2023). During the corresponding period of 2022, four Maoists had been arrested. Another 16 arrests were made during the remaining days of 2022. Since June 2, 2014, when Telangana was created and the district came into being, to June 18, 2023; at least 211 Maoists have been arrested in the district.

Further, two Maoists have surrendered in Bhadradri Kothagudem in the current year (data till June 18, 2023). 14 surrenders took place in the corresponding period of 2022, and another six during the remaining days of 2022. 132 surrenders took place in 2021. Since 2014, at least 222 Maoists have surrendered in the district.

Meanwhile, a total of two Maoists have been killed in Bhadradri Kothagudem in the current year. During the corresponding period of 2022, there was no Maoist fatality recorded, nor in the remaining period of 2022. Since 2014, a total of 23 Maoists has been killed in the district.

Since its formation in 2014, the Security Forces (SFs) have maintained their supremacy on the ground in their fight against the Maoists and have not lost any of their personnel in the district.

Despite SF dominance, the district has recorded at least five civilian deaths since 2014. The last civilian killing was reported on August 30, 2022, when CPI-Maoist cadres hacked the deputy Sarpanch (head of the Panchayat, village level local self-Government institution) of Kurnapally Gram Panchayat to death, branding him as a ‘police informer’. Kurnapally is located in the Cherla Mandal of Bhadradri Kothagudem District. In addition to the one civilian killing of 2022, killings were recorded in 2020 (one), 2018 (two) and 2017 (one).

Bhadradri Kothagudem was one among the ‘25 Most Affected Districts’, from eight States across India, released by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (UMHA) on June 19, 2021. Moreover, Bhadradri Kothagudem, along with five other Districts of Telangana (Adilabad, Jayashankar-Bhupalpally, Komaram Bheem, Mancherial and Mulugu), is also included among the 70 LWE-affected Districts in 10 States across India, covered under the Centre’s Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, which funds focused operations against the Naxalites.

Bhadradri Kothagudem, a predominantly tribal district, is the easternmost district of Telangana, sharing borders with the Bijapur and Sukma Districts (Chhattisgarh State) in the north and northeast; East Godavari District to the east; Khammam District and West Godavari District to the south and southeast; and Mahabubabad District and Mulugu District to the west and northwest. The district occupies an area of 7,483 square kilometres, with 4,286.98 square kilometres, or about 57.29 per cent of its total geographical area, under forest cover, spreading over Bhadrachalam, Manuguru, Bergampahad, Kothagudem, and Yellandu. The physiography of the district comprises plains, hills, and mountains. Administratively, the district comprises 377 revenue villages, 23 Revenue Mandals and two Revenue Divisions – Kothagudem and Bhadrachalam. The district headquarters is located at Kothagudem town. Sharing its borders with the worst Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE]-affected state, Chhattisgarh, to the north and northeast, and other LWE-affected districts of Telangana to the east, west and south, has made Bhadradri Kothagudem a significant guerilla safe haven.

Not surprisingly, despite having failed to make any significant inroads, the Maoists continue in their efforts to secure the district as a safe harbour. The recent recoveries on June 6, 2023 [one drone camera, ten gelatin sticks, 160 meters of cordex wire, five electric detonators, and one lathe machine], and May 22, 2023 [500 detonators, 600 slurry sticks, 90 bundles of cordex wire], underline the persistence of such efforts.

Moreover, on June 6, 2023, concerned over the recovery of the drone, SP Vineeth G. stated that it was for the first time that Police in Telangana seized a drone camera that was on its way to Maoists, and noted,

Further, in order to gather the sympathy of the tribal population, the Maoists are raising issues concerning the common people and appealing to them to revolt. Thus, on March 8, 2023, the CPI-Maoist released a letter in which the banned outfit accused the Communist Party of India (CPI) and Congress leaders of encroaching on lands. CPI-Maoist ‘secretary’ for Bhadradri Kothagudem-Alluri Sitarama Raju (BK-ASR) division committee, Koyyada Sambaiah alias Azad, alleged that CPI leader Ravulapalli Ramprasad, Bogala Srinivas Reddy of the Congress, Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader Kodali Srinivas, and Bhadrachalam Mandal Revenue Officer Srinivas, encroached 4.15 acres of government land in survey No. 111/5 at ITDA Bhadrachalam. Alleging that Ravulapalli Ramprasad encroached a total of six acres of private land, of which three acres belonged to Vasireddy Duragaiah of Bhadrachalam, and the rest was owned by Christian organisations. Ramprasad registered the encroached land as a patta with the help of government officials and local Congress Member of the Legislative Assembly Podem Veeraiah. Azad called upon the locals to revolt against encroachers and take back the illegally occupied lands. He even made an appeal to the tribals to take up arms and assured them that the Maoist party would support them in their struggle.

On May 2, 2023, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Paritosh Pankaj, also noted that CPI-Maoist leaders are resorting to acts of violence in Bhadradri Kothagudem District:

Moreover, the ASP noted that many cadres, attracted by ‘Operation Chayutha’, were planning to surrender, but were being prevented from doing so by the top Maoist leadership. Significantly, ‘Operation Chayutha’ is an initiative by the district Police to encourage underground Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists] who want to surrender and lead a normal life, to approach their nearest Police Station or district officials either through their family members or in person. The district Police would make arrangements for their rehabilitation on behalf of the government.

According to an April 6, 2023, report, as many as 14 cadres from the district were currently working for the CPI-Maoist in Bhadradri Kothagudem District. SP Vineeth stated that, previously, 28 people from the district worked in the Maoist party and their number had come down because of the efforts being made by the State Government and Bhadradri Kothagudem Police to wean the people away from Maoist influence in the district. The family members of the underground Maoists have to take the responsibility of encouraging the Maoists to surrender in order to lead a normal life.

The Bhadradri Kothagudem District of Telangana is an area where the Maoists continue to seek to establish a stronghold. Sustained SF operations, combined with effective administrative decisions, can ensure that the gains of recent years are consolidated further, and the threat of this enduring insurgency is finally ended.

Afghanistan

IS-KP in Afghanistan gets ‘external support’, says Spokesperson of Russian Foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova: The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on June 16 that the Islamic State-Khorasan Province (IS-KP) seeks to undermine security and stability in the country and its neighbouring countries, while relying on external support. SHe further said, "IS-KP is clearly encouraged by external forces; IS-KP members themselves have confirmed that the terrorist group receives funds from foreign intelligence agencies and that there are foreign terrorists among its fighters." TOLO news, June 17, 2023.

Bangladesh

JeI regroups by stealth, states intelligence report: According to Police Intelligence report, Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) is growing, as in 2008, the number of the party's permanent members or Rukon was 23,863, which has increased to 73,046, suggesting a threefold rise. JeI also sees a threefold rise in the number of its activists, which has leapt to 639,000 from 2.21 lakh during the same period, the report said. The Daily Star, June 14, 2023.

Lack of implementation of CHT peace accord jeopardizes women’s’ rights in the area, says PCJSS-S president Santu Larma: Jyotirindra Bodhipriya Larma aka Santu Larma, President of Santu Larma faction of the Parbatya Chattagram Jana Samhati Samiti (PCJSS-S), stated on June 12 that although the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) Peace Accord was signed to uphold the rights of the CHT's oppressed people, the rights of women are not being protected as a result of the lack of enforcement of the agreement. Dhaka Tribune, June 13, 2023.

India

Pro-Khalistan leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar shot dead in Canada: Canada-based pro-Khalistan leader and ‘chief’ of Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF), Hardeep Singh Nijjar, was shot dead by two unidentified youths at the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara in Surrey city of British Columbia Province in Canada. The Tribune, June 19, 2023.

Infiltrators, militants behind unrest in Manipur; says Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh: On June 15, Chief Minister of Manipur N. Biren Singh stated that infiltrators from across the border and militants have caused the ongoing unrest in Manipur and it is not an enmity between two communities. Condemning the June 13 firing incident in Imphal East District in which nine people were gunned down and several injured, Singh said that the incident was an act of terrorism. Northeast Now, June 16, 2023.

New militant outfit 'Boro Liberation Army' formed in BTR in Assam: A new militant outfit, the Boro Liberation Army (BLA), emerged in Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) of Assam with the demand for a separate state of ‘Bodoland’. The core members of the outfit are B Dwidengra (President), B Rwngwra (Vice President), B Ankhlai (Army chief) and B Bwkhangsa (General Secretary). The newly formed outfit proclaimed that it came into existence on February 1, 2023. Northeast Now, June 13, 2023.

Pakistan

Pakistan and Afghanistan agree to relocate TTP to western Afghanistan, says report: Quoting a senior security official of Pakistan on condition of anonymity, the Anadolu Agency reported on June 16 that the Kabul and Islamabad have agreed on a plan to relocate members of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) to western Afghanistan. “The two countries have reached a shared understanding regarding the project, but no practical measures have been taken to implement it thus far,” An unnamed senior security official said. The funding for the relocation will be provided by Pakistan, the official added. Anadolu Ajansı, June 17, 2023.

TTP announces establishment of two new administrative units: Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), in a statement, announced the establishment of two new administrative units - North Punjab, headed by Syed Hilal Ghazi and South Punjab, headed by Muhammad Umar Muawiya. With this, TTP now counts a total of 12 administrative units in Pakistan: seven in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP); one in Gilgit-Baltistan; two in Balochistan and Punjab each. The Khorasan Diary, June 16, 2023.