J&K Police use GPS anklets to track Jaish-e-Mohammad OGWs granted bail in Kathua terror attack case

To monitor the movement of three Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the proscribed terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad, who were granted interim bail by a court, the Jammu and Kashmir Police in Kathua district have installed GPS-enabled tracking anklets.

The accused, arrested in July 2024, were granted interim bail by the Principal District and Sessions Judge, Kathua, in connection with FIR No. 18/2024 under Sections 61(1), 113, 147 and 150 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Police Station Malhar in Kathua district.

The tracking devices have been affixed in compliance with the court’s directions to ensure continuous monitoring and strict surveillance of the accused persons’ movements.

A GPS tracker anklet is a wearable electronic device secured around the ankle, enabling real-time location tracking and ensuring adherence to bail conditions.

According to case details, the FIR was registered at Police Station Malhar, and interim bail was granted to the accused—Mool Raj, son of Uttam Chand, a resident of Malhar, Kathua; Layiket Ali, son of Gammi, a resident of village Dhanu Parole, tehsil Billawar, Kathua; and Maqbool, son of Mohammad Lateif, a resident of Soffain Ambnal, Kathua district.

The court directed the installation of GPS tracking anklets to monitor and keep a close watch on the activities of the accused.

Arrest linked to Kathua terror attack

The accused were arrested within days of a gruesome terror attack in July 2024 for allegedly providing logistical support to Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists involved in the incident. Five Army personnel lost their lives in the line of duty when terrorists ambushed their vehicle on the Machhedi–Kindli–Malhar road in Badnota village of Kathua district.

Investigations revealed that the accused had allegedly provided hotspot Wi-Fi connectivity to facilitate communication between Pakistani terrorists and their handlers across the border.

GPS tracker anklets introduced in 2023

The Jammu and Kashmir Police had first introduced GPS tracker anklets in 2023 to monitor a terror accused released on bail, becoming the first police force in the country to adopt the technology.

The device, commonly used in countries such as the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, helps track individuals on bail, parole or house arrest, thereby reducing prison overcrowding.

According to reports, the State Investigation Agency (SIA) of the Jammu and Kashmir Police initiated the use of GPS tracker anklets following an order by a special NIA court in Jammu, which directed the police to attach such a device to a terror accused. The move was strongly supported by the prosecution.