Terrorists operating in Jammu and Kashmir are using cell phones of high-profile people, including a former legislator, who work as their over-ground workers, to communicate and receive orders from their Pakistan-based headquarters, intelligence agencies have said.
"Terrorist commanders used cell phones of 51 persons, including a former legislator, for their conversations with Pak-based headquarters and other commanders in Jammu and Kashmir. They are under the scanner," a top official of an intelligence agency, who did not wish to be named, told PTI.
"It is a serious issue that the ultras are using mobile network-centric communication to carry forward their messages and tasks, particularly on the mobiles of important people, including village heads," he said, adding that a detailed report has been prepared in this connection including the mobile numbers used by the terrorist commanders.
The report said the mobile numbers provided by the intelligence were checked and call details recovered revealed that terrorists were trying to expand their over-ground workers' 'terrorist-mobile-communication-network' base.
"This network is expanding and used to a great extent in remote areas of Rajouri, Reasi, Doda and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir in particular," the official said.
He said district commander of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen Farooq Ahmed Naik alias Imran Ladoo received calls three times on the cell phone of a former legislator. He, however, declined to name the former legislator.
The intelligence wing has got hold of the conversation details and sent the report to higher authorities, the official said, adding, "We are monitoring these cell phones."