Terror’s Network Effect

Nov 13, 2025 | 21:05 IST

Overground workers are the connective tissue between ideology and violence. Tackling them requires proactive de-radicalisation and addressing grievances. India must draw on global lessons

For fairly long we in India believed our cities had outgrown terror. The Red Fort explosion in Delhi now challenges that confidence. Beyond the blast lies a deeper concern – the silent networks that endure after violence fades, reminding us that terrorism adapts even when the nation’s vigilance seems unbroken.

Terrorism tends to mutate, lies low, and returns in different forms. In the present case, the warning is not just about explosives and rifles but about ecosystems – the invisible networks of sympathisers, funders, logisticians, and radicalisers known as Overground Workers (OGWs). These networks keep the flame of extremism alive even when the gun-wielding terrorist has been neutralised.

TOI

TOI

Terror’s Network Effect

Overground workers are the connective tissue between ideology and violence. Tackling them requires proactive de-radicalisation and addressing grievances. India must draw on global lessons

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TOI

Terror’s Network Effect

Overground workers are the connective tissue between ideology and violence. Tackling them requires proactive de-radicalisation and addressing grievances. India must draw on global lessons

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