J&K police raid hospitals, prisons, and chemical stores in crackdown on Delhi blast-linked terror networks

SRINAGAR: Police and security agencies have expanded their crackdown on the interstate white-collar terror module linked to the Delhi blast by launching extensive search operations across hospitals, fertiliser and hardware stores, and multiple prisons in J&K to dismantle emerging militant modules and prevent radicalisation. The Counter Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) unit of J&K Police has carried out raids and searches at several major prisons, including Central Jail Srinagar, District Jail Kupwara, Kot Bhalwal Jail Jammu and Poonch jails housing Kashmiri and Pakistani militants, in the last few days. During the raids, the CIK sleuths thoroughly searched inmate barracks and scrutinised detainees to detect any illegal material or suspicious activity inside the jails, sources said. They said the searches were aimed at identifying and curbing any attempts by jailed militants to radicalise inmates or coordinate militant plots from inside prisons. In the past, arrested militants had managed to stay in touch with their handlers using smuggled mobile phones. The authorities, according to sources, have been instructed to segregate Kashmiri and Pakistani militants and prevent any interaction that could facilitate radicalisation or militant planning. Authorities have also heightened surveillance on medical professionals after several doctors were found linked to the Delhi suicide attack. Police teams, along with health department officials, have conducted inspections of lockers and storage spaces used by doctors and staff in government and private hospitals, medical colleges, and Primary Health Centres. In the wake of the seizure of 2,900 kg of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, from the busted militant network, police have launched a Valley-wide drive to regulate the sale and storage of chemicals and fertilisers. Police teams are inspecting the chemical, fertiliser and hardware stores to verify stock registers, invoices, licences and other mandatory documents.