Eight consecutive incidents of terrorist violence in a gap of 20 days in Kashmir valley, after the formation of the Omar Abdullah government, have sent alarm bells ringing in the entire security grid to gear up for the long winter ahead.

The pattern of strikes also shows a disturbing trend as the terrorist handlers picked up dormant and least expected areas to target the security forces. The terrorist handlers have also shifted their focus from the Jammu region back to Kashmir valley to drive a wedge between the newly elected popular government and the security establishment.

Recently, when Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a meeting of the Unified command headquarters in the aftermath of a dastardly attack on the construction workers in the Gagangir area of Sonamarg newly elected Chief Minister Omar Abdullah remained conspicuous by his absence.

The selection of targets and timing of these attacks suggested the terrorist handlers wanted to demonstrate their capabilities to strike at will despite the huge presence of security forces in the hinterland. Two days after the grenade attack hit the shoppers in the busy ‘Sunday market’ near the TRC centre in Srinagar, a group of heavily armed terrorists were trapped by the security forces in the Kaitsan forest area of Bandipora on Tuesday.

The security forces launched the operation on receipt of credible inputs about the presence of terrorists in the area. Till the time of filing the report, the security forces had established contact with the terrorists and heavy exchange of firing was going on in the area.

Srinagar-based Chinar Corps posted on X, “Based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists in the general area of Kaitsan forest, a Joint Operation was launched by the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and CRPF in the general area Chuntawadi Kaitsan, Bandipora. Contact was established and a firefight ensued. Operation is in progress”.

However, unconfirmed reports claimed one terrorist was neutralised in the ongoing operations in the area. Additional troops were also rushed in to plug the gaps to prevent the escape of terrorists pinned down in the thickly forested area of Kaitsan.

Meanwhile, Sinha warned on Tuesday that the houses of those providing shelter to terrorists would be razed to the ground as he asked people to stand up against the perpetrators of terror. He also said if security forces, the Union Territory administration and people come together, then terrorism could be eliminated from the region in a year.

I have directed the forces not to harm any innocent but the culprits will not be spared. If anyone provides shelter to terrorists, then his house will be razed to the ground. There will be no compromise on it,” the LG said at a function in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

In a veiled reference to some of the politicians vocal on the issue, Sinha said some people make statements that atrocities are being committed on those providing shelter to terrorists. “However, this is not an atrocity, but a demand for justice and such justice will continue,” he added.

Sinha said some people are trying to disrupt the peace in Jammu and Kashmir. “Our neighbour is trying, but it does not worry us. It is the people here who are doing it on its directions (that is a cause of concern). It is not just the job of the security forces and the administration but the people as well to identify such people,” he said. He added that if the forces, administration and people come together, then “it (terrorism) will not remain here for more than a year. But if the people give them shelter and then say we are doing injustice to them, then that is not right.”

Asking the people of Jammu and Kashmir to stand up against terror, Sinha asked the gathering whether anyone has the right to kill those who work to improve connectivity in the region. He was referring to the October 20 killings of a local doctor and six non-local labourers by terrorists at a tunnel construction site in the Gagangir area of Ganderbal district. “If people do not stand up against such elements, this scenario will never change. I think those who only issue statements for formality are worse than them (terrorists),” the LG said.