Security forces in the Kashmir Valley have conducted a massive and highly coordinated series of raids and cordon-and-search operations (CASOs) over the past week, resulting in the interrogation and detention of hundreds of individuals suspected of involvement in a militant support ecosystem.

Scale and Focus of the Crackdown

The primary focus of this extensive sweep was the alleged grassroots network of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), an organization that has been outlawed since 2019. Authorities stated that the action is a core part of their strategy to dismantle the support structure fueling militancy within the region.

Specific details regarding the scale of the operation include:

• Raids in Kulgam: Police activity was particularly intense in the Kulgam district, where over 200 locations were simultaneously searched on a single day. In the four days preceding this action, approximately 400 separate cordon and search operations had already been executed across the South Kashmir district.
• Valley-Wide Detentions: Over the course of the week, authorities confirmed that more than 1,500 people have been brought in for questioning across the entire Valley.
• District-Specific Actions: In addition to Kulgam, comprehensive counter-terror raids were launched at over 30 sites in Sopore, targeting the presence of a “separatist ecosystem.” Similar actions were also reported in multiple areas of Ganderbal and Awantipora.

Outcomes and Strategic Context

From the Kulgam operations alone, 500 people believed to be affiliated with the JeI and other proscribed organizations were interrogated. Many of these individuals were subsequently moved to District Jail Mattan in Anantnag, having been detained under preventive custody laws.

Police officials reported seizing a significant amount of incriminating evidence during the searches, including financial documents, various digital devices, and printed material that allegedly links the suspects directly to the banned group. These materials are currently undergoing detailed analysis.

The police characterized these operations as a vital, sustained, and preventive strike aimed at disrupting the ideological, logistical, and financial networks of the terror and separatist elements in Kashmir. Sources close to the operation indicated the massive mobilization was a pre-emptive measure based on credible intelligence, designed to thwart any efforts by militant groups to reorganize their operations.