It’s no secret that stone pelting “was” a business in valley. The stone pelters were mostly Kashmiri youth hailing from poor or lower-middle class families. They are often referred to as Sangbaaz in local language, while the action of throwing the stone is called “Kanni Jung” or “Stone Fighting”
This act executed by the hired youth can fetch them about Rs. 6000-7000 a month, that too on a part time basis, while they continue to do their routine business. The ring leader of the stone pelting gang can earn up to Rs. 15,000 – 20,000 / month.
You must be wondering why I used “WAS?” and not “IS”. Yes! It was and the stone pelting wave we were observing at the start of the year is now gone, or at least has been brought to its knees. Government is in no mood of sparing them. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has identified 117 suspects who used 70 WhatsApp groups to organize stone-pelting protests in Kashmir valley, as per an Indian Express report.
According to Indian Express, NIA identified the suspects and groups after a six-month probe into incidents of unrest in the Valley. “Sources said investigators have identified 79 WhatsApp groups that are used to spread messages and gather crowds. Many of these groups have administrators based in Pakistan. The mobilization of the stone pelters acts as cover fire in case of COIN (Counter Insurgency) operations and in many cases they have helped trapped and cornered terrorists in getting away alive.
“According to a source privy to details of the probe, 6,386 phone numbers were found part of these WhatsApp groups. Of them, around 1,000 were found active in Pakistan and Gulf nations. The remaining 5,386 numbers were found active in various parts of the Valley and neighbouring states.”
Quoting sources, the report said a team of undercover NIA officers infiltrated these groups by using intelligence inputs, technical surveillance, GPS and satellite imagery.
Source – The Asian Age
As per the report among WhatsApp groups under the scanner are the likes of “valley of tears”, “pulwama rebels”, “daftare surat auliyan sophiyan”, “FrEEdom FigHtErz”, “Tehreek E Azaadi123”, “Mugahideen-a-Islam”, “Al Jahad”, etc.
Anxiety in Hurriyat camp has increased and Malik, Geelani and Mirwaiz on Wednesday announced that they will hold a dharna outside the NIA office in Delhi and court arrest against the alleged harassment by the NIA. The NIA has recently been conducting raids and arresting people associated with the separatist leaders in connection with alleged money laundering and some other cases.
Once terrorist and JKLF Chief Yasin Malik was on Thursday arrested while Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was put under house arrest.
The probe has also identified four major sources of funding for “anti-national elements” across the Valley:
- Barter trade at the border,
- Admission of Kashmir residents on medical seats in Pakistan colleges as per a set quota of seats allocated to various pro-freedom leaders,
- Through pilgrims, and
- Through hawala transactions.
It’s interesting to note that on ground Army Soldiers are hunting terrorists, with Abu Dujana the log was 132 in the first week of august and counting. NIA is cracking down on the terror funding, operatives and the master minds. The survival of the terrorism in Kashmir is in its final stage before it bites the dust.
Washington has already bashed Pakistan several times, a testimony to India’s changed diplomatic maneuvering and now with BRICS punching the mothership of terrorism, Pakistan is internationally isolated and even its all-weather ally China can not help them.
It’s been observed terrorism wave is on a retreat in Kashmir and with this multi-cornered intense crackdown from all sides hopefully the valley will be terror free soon. It is certainly a major win for the Forces and the NIA.
Jai Hind !
vande mataram!!