Srinagar: Militants in Jammu and Kashmir are reportedly utilizing advanced communication tools to avoid detection. Among these is a modified offline version of the Alpine Quest app, enabling operations without internet connectivity and enhancing their ability to evade security forces.
This app, originally designed as a navigation tool for trekkers, has been altered to include critical data about security forces, checkpoints, and patrolling routes, allowing militants to operate without reliance on Over Ground Workers (OGWs).
According to officials, the diminishing support from OGWs, largely due to stringent measures by the police—including property attachments and cases filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA)—has pushed militants to adopt more covert methods.
The Alpine Quest App allows them to navigate the rugged, mountainous terrain of Jammu and Kashmir, primarily in remote and high-altitude areas where OGWs are less trusted and less accessible.
This marks the first time the use of such an app has been noted in Jammu and Kashmir’s insurgency operations. With the growing crackdown on OGWs, militants have become more self-reliant, relying on the app for navigation while avoiding OGWs whenever possible. In some instances, the militants have opted to use OGWs solely for logistical support, such as delivering food, while maintaining a distance to ensure their exact locations remain undetected.
The militants are also using encrypted ultra-radio communication devices with servers based in Pakistan. These devices are designed to ensure secure communication, making it harder for security forces to intercept or decode their messages in real time. The use of such technology further complicates efforts to track and neutralize militant networks operating in the region.
Last year, militants were observed operating across several districts in Jammu, including Kathua, Udhampur, Kishtwar, Doda, Reasi, Poonch, and Rajouri, as well as parts of the Kashmir Valley.
