Anantnag attack: 3,500 OGWs detained in 24-hour Kashmir crackdown
Synopsis
Within hours of a TRF terrorist killing a J&K Police head constable on Yatra duty in Anantnag, security forces swept across the Kashmir Valley and detained roughly 3,500 suspected OGWs — one of the largest single-day counter-terror sweeps in recent years. Two houses of active LeT militants were also demolished, signalling a zero-tolerance posture from the administration.
Key Takeaways
Approximately 3,500 suspected OGWs were detained across Kashmir within 24 hours of the Anantnag terror attack.
Head constable Ashiq Hussain Quraishi of the 3rd Battalion of Armed Police was killed while on Amarnath Yatra duty in Anantnag town .
Two houses of active Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists were demolished in Anantnag district on Thursday .
The Resistance Front (TRF) , an LeT offshoot, claimed responsibility for the killing.
J&K LG Manoj Sinha vowed on X that the perpetrators would be brought to justice.
Searches and raids across multiple Valley locations were continuing as of 23 July .
Security forces in Jammu & Kashmir detained approximately 3,500 suspected terror Over Ground Workers (OGWs) across the Kashmir Valley within 24 hours of the killing of J&K Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Quraishi in Anantnag on 22 July. The sweeping crackdown marks one of the largest single-day OGW round-ups in recent memory, signalling a sharp escalation in counter-terror operations across the Valley.
Scale of the Crackdown
Top police officials confirmed the detentions, describing the operation as part of intensified efforts to identify and dismantle the terror support network operating across Kashmir. Searches and raids continued at multiple locations even as the detentions were being carried out. The pace and scale of the operation reflect the administration's resolve to act swiftly against the logistical backbone of active terror groups.
The Anantnag Attack
Head constable Ashiq Hussain Quraishi, attached to the 3rd Battalion of Armed Police, was posted on Amarnath Yatra security duty when he was shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag town. Quraishi hailed from Beerwah in Budgam district. A wreath-laying ceremony was held at the district police lines in Anantnag, and hundreds of residents attended his funeral in his native town. Scores of people continued to offer condolences to the bereaved family.
Houses Demolished, TRF Claims Attack
In a parallel punitive action on Thursday, authorities demolished two houses belonging to active Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in Anantnag district. The The Resistance Front (TRF), widely assessed as an operational offshoot of the Pakistan-based, UN-designated terrorist organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the killing. TRF was formed after the 2019 abrogation of J&K's special status, drawing cadres from both LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen. It deliberately uses non-religious nomenclature to project a secular image, even as it has carried out targeted killings of locals from religious minority communities. The group maintains a significant social media presence, portions of which Indian security agencies trace to Pakistan.
Official Response
J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah both condemned the attack. In a post on X, LG Sinha vowed that the killing would not go unpunished and that those responsible would be brought to justice. This comes amid a broader pattern of targeted attacks on security personnel during the annual Amarnath Yatra season, a period that has historically seen heightened militant activity in the Valley.
What Comes Next
Security forces are expected to sustain the cordon-and-search operations across the Valley as investigators work to establish the full OGW network behind the attack. The demolition of militant-linked properties and mass OGW detentions signal that authorities intend to impose maximum pressure on terror infrastructure before the Yatra concludes.
Point of View
500 OGWs in a single day is an extraordinary number — and that scale itself warrants scrutiny. Mass preventive detentions are a blunt instrument: they signal administrative resolve, but history in Kashmir shows that indiscriminate sweeps can alienate fence-sitters without dismantling the core network. The more telling action may be the house demolitions, which represent a targeted punitive signal to active LeT cadres. TRF's continued ability to strike during the Amarnath Yatra — a period of maximal security deployment — raises harder questions about intelligence gaps that a record-breaking OGW round-up alone cannot answer.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What triggered the mass OGW crackdown in Kashmir on 23 July?
The crackdown was triggered by the killing of J&K Police head constable Ashiq Hussain Quraishi in Anantnag town on 22 July. Security forces detained approximately 3,500 suspected OGWs across the Kashmir Valley within 24 hours as part of a counter-terror sweep.
Who was Ashiq Hussain Quraishi?
Ashiq Hussain Quraishi was a head constable with the 3rd Battalion of Armed Police, posted on Amarnath Yatra security duty at the time of the attack. He was a resident of Beerwah in Budgam district and was killed by terrorists in Anantnag town on 22 July.
Which group claimed responsibility for the Anantnag attack?
The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility. TRF is an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based organisation designated as a terrorist group by the United Nations. It was formed after the 2019 abrogation of J&K's special status.
What other punitive actions were taken after the Anantnag attack?
Authorities demolished two houses belonging to active Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in Anantnag district on Thursday, a day after the killing. Searches and raids at multiple locations across the Valley were also continuing.
What did J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha say about the attack?
LG Manoj Sinha condemned the attack and, in a post on X, vowed that the killing of the policeman would not go unpunished and that all those responsible would be brought to justice. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the attack.
