Srinagar: A sweeping series of raids by Indian forces across occupied Jammu and Kashmir has resulted in the arrest of numerous individuals, intensifying the security clampdown in the region.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the operations spearheaded by the Counter-Intelligence Kashmir (CIK) targeted six districts on Tuesday, including Srinagar, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Islamabad, Budgam, and Kulgam. These actions are part of a broader effort to dismantle what officials describe as a “recruitment module” for a new group identified as “Tehreek Labaik Ya Muslim” (TLM), which has recently emerged in the local consciousness.

The CIK’s statement detailed that the raids were executed in the early hours of October 22, aiming to disrupt the nascent recruitment activities of TLM. This operation marks a significant intervention against a group previously unrecognized in the local narrative of occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Further complicating the security landscape, a team from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) inspected a construction site in Ganderbal, the scene of a recent attack where five migrant workers, along with a designer and a doctor, were tragically killed. The investigative team, led by a Superintendent of Police from the NIA’s regional office, utilized drones and sniffer dogs to comb the adjacent dense forests for evidence, signaling a robust response to the recent spike in violence.

These developments come amid accusations by local sources that the heightened military activities are part of a broader strategy by the Hindutva-led Indian government to divert attention from political movements aimed at restoring Article 370 and other rights stripped from the Kashmiris during the BJP’s tenure.