After Pak-based ultras’ attempt to target yatris foiled, Govt asks pilgrims to return immediately

The security forces have uncovered a “sinister” plot hatched by the Pakistan Army to target Amarnath pilgrims in the last leg of the 45-day-long pilgrimage. Following this, the Government on Friday issued an advisory asking the tourists and pilgrims to curtail their pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine and leave the State “as soon as possible”.

A top officer of the Indian Army based in Srinagar, along with the Director General of State police, on Friday claimed that an attempt to target the pilgrims has been foiled by the alert troops, who recovered  a mine bearing mark of a Pakistan ordnance factory from one of the two yatra routes leading to the cave shrine.

“The recovery indicates that Pakistan Army is involved in terrorism in Kashmir. This  will not be tolerated,” Lt General KJS Dhillon, Commander of the Chinar Corps, said. Displaying pictures of the mine bearing Pakistan’s ordnance factory’s stamp, Dhillon said, “It laid to rest any doubts about Islamabad’s direct role in attempts to destabilise J&K”. 

Meanwhile, the Jammu & Kashmir Government on Friday issued an advisory directing tourists and pilgrims to curtail their pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine and to leave the State immediately.

“Keeping in view the latest intelligence inputs of terror threats, with specific targeting of the Amarnath Yatra, and given the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir Valley, in the interest of the safety and security of the tourists and Amarnath Yatris, it is advised that they may curtail their stay in the Valley immediately and take necessary measures to return as soon as possible,” the order issued by the State Home Department said.

Last week, Union Home Ministry had rushed 10,000 troops to Kashmir Valley to effectively handle security related and law and order duties. Speculations were rife over the arrival of 25,000 more troops in Kashmir Valley as part of the ongoing exercise.

During a three-day intensive search operation conducted to sanitise the Amarnath Yatra route, security forces had also recovered a cache of arms, including an American sniper rifle M-24. Security forces acted on the basis of specific intelligence inputs that Pakistan-based terrorists might target the Yatra using IEDs and attack pilgrims, he added.

Dhillon said the threat of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in Jammu and Kashmir is more “pronounced” in the hinterland even as the situation along the Line of Control (LoC) remains “largely peaceful”.

IG Kashmir SP Pani said around 10 serious attempts to trigger IED blasts were recently made in the Valley, mostly in Pulwama and Shopian areas.

Director-General of Police (DGP) of Jammu & Kashmir Dilbag Singh, CRPF Additional Director General Zulfiqar Hasan, IGP Kashmir SP Pani, and others were also present during the Press briefing.

Reacting to the State Home Department order former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, “Although this unprecedented order would seem to suggest a genuine fear of a massive terror strike directed at Amarnath Yatris or/and tourists this will do nothing to dampen the sense of fear and  foreboding that prevails in the valley at the moment.”

Abdullah, along with his father Dr Farooq Abdullah, had called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Friday urging him that no precipitous steps of any sort should be taken that may result in situation in the State, particularly the Valley, worsening. “We specifically asked him to let subjudice matters be settled by the courts & other matters be settled by an elected government,” Omar Abdullah said later.

The NC leader has also reached out to other parties in the Sate, including PDP led by Mehbooba Mufti, seeking to discuss the situation.  On the other hand, PDP president Mehbooba alleged that the Centre had resorted to “military might” and techniques like “psychological warfare” in the State.

“First the avalanche of private orders about stocking up supplies that somehow made their way into public domain. And now news like this will create panic & distress,” Mehbooba tweeted.

“So far, GOI’s resorted to military might & psychological warfare like techniques vis a vis J&K. Neither will work,” she added. Former IAS officer-turned-politician Shah Faesal asked if the administration was going to issue a separate advisory for the locals of Kashmir. “J&K Govt has asked tourists and Amarnath Yatris to leave Kashmir immediately in view of a security threat.

“Is the Government considering any such advisory for locals also?” he asked.

Commenting on the prevailing security situation in Kashmir Valley, Dhillon said, “On July 30, Pakistan army indulged in unprovoked firing and it was responded to in befitting manner, they became quiet thereafter,” he said. 15 Corps commander Dhillon said the security forces had considerable success against the terrorist groups operating in J&K recently and most of the top leadership of Jaish-e-Mohammaed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Hizbul Mujahideen had been eliminated in the operations in last three months.

The 15 Corps commander said IED threats had increased in the last year with several attempts made to blow up security forces vehicles or installations. “There was a failed IED attempt in Banihal in June and on August 2, one of the Army vehicles was targeted.” said Dhillon, adding that one IED expert Munna Lahori was killed by security forces last week.

Dhillon said security forces conducted an in-depth analysis in the Kashmir Valley and found out that 83 per cent of local people who picked up weapons had a record of stone-pelting. In an appeal to the mothers of Kashmiri youth, the Chinar Corps Commander said, “If today, your child throws stones at security forces for Rs 500, then he will become a terrorist tomorrow.”

“In 2019, 7 per cent of terrorists have been killed within 10 days of joining (militancy). 64 per cent of terrorists who pick up a weapon is eliminated within the first year. So, I request parents to stop your child from doing stone-pelting, as chances are there that he would be eliminated within the first year of picking up his weapon,” Dhillon underlined.