Authorities begin final crackdown against TRF, its cadre in J&K

The Ministry of Home Affairs' (MHA) decision to declare 'The Resistance Front' (TRF) as a terrorist organisation is just the beginning of the final crackdown planned by the government to wipe out the outfit and its cadre responsible for issuing threat lists against Kashmiri Pandit employees and local journalists.

Intelligence agencies say that TRF is an offshoot of the Laskar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group.

The MHA, in a notification, has also declared Mohammad Amin alias Abu Khubaib of LeT, who belongs to Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), as an 'individual terrorist'.

Mohammad Amin alias Abu Khubaib is believed to operate from Afghanistan and is organising terror activities in the Jammu region.

Accoding to the MHA, TRF has been recruiting youth into militancy through online media for furtherance of terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir. The outfit has also been involved in carrying out propaganda on terror activities.

TRF is involved in recruitment and infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of weapons and narcotics from Pakistan into J&K for fanning terrorism.

"TRF is involved in psychological operations on social media platforms for inciting people of Jammu and Kashmir to join terrorist outfits against the Indian State," the notification stated.

The MHA designated Sheikh Sajjad Gul, the TRF commander, as a terrorist under the Fourth Schedule of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

Asserting that activities of TRF are detrimental for national security and sovereignty of India, the notification says that a large number of cases have been registered against the members and associates of TRF.

"The Central government believes that the outfit is involved in terrorism and it has committed and participated in various acts of terror across the country," the MHA asserted.

The TRF came into existence in 2019 as a proxy outfit of the LeT. The threats issued by TRF on its social platform Kashmirfight.com are meant to create a fear psychosis in the Valley.

In addition to issue threats against the migrant government employees, TRF has also threatened local journalists including editors of local newspapers.

Intelligence agencies say that Mohammed Amin alias Abu Khubaib, who belongs to J&K, but lives in Pakistan now has been acting as the launching commander of LeT. He has developed a deep association with cross-border agencies to play a vital role to revive and accelerate terrorist activities.

"He is involved in coordinating terrorist attacks, supplying weapons and explosives and terror financing from across the border," intelligence agencies assert.

After the MHA's notification, the administration can seize and attach properties, bank accounts and other assets - movable and immovable - of the cadre of the banned outfit. In addition, the administration is exploring various options to crush activities of the banned outfits and individuals.

The MHA decision comes close on the heels of terror attacks in Dhangri village of Rajouri district in which six civilians of minority community were killed by two terrorists while over dozen others were injured.

The J&K Police announced a reward of Rs 10 lakhs to anyone whose information leads to the two terrorists responsible for Rajouri attacks. Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha has announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 10 lakhs each to the next of kin of the Rajouri terror victims in addition to a government job for the surviving member.