As the mercury levels are peaking across the North Indian cities hordes of tourists are rushing to Kashmir to enjoy the cool climes. In contrast, the Jammu region has been bleeding for the last three days as terror revisited peaceful areas of the region in the run-up to the beginning of the Amarnath yatra on June 29.
Since Sunday evening, three back-to-back incidents of terrorist violence have been reported in the districts of Reasi, Kathua and Doda triggering panic among the local population and the tourists visiting the region on a pilgrimage.
The frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch are already feeling the heat of a series of terrorist strikes/ambushes involving security forces. Since October 2021 around one dozen incidents of violence have been reported in the area and in response, the security forces have failed to track down the footprints of perpetrators of terrorist violence.
Nine pilgrims were killed and 41 others were injured in an audacious terrorist strike on a pilgrim bus for the first time in the Reasi district on Sunday. Late Tuesday night terrorists struck at two separate places in the Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua and Chattergala area of Doda district.
A freshly infiltrated group of heavily armed foreign terrorists surfaced in a thickly populated area of Saida Sukhal breaching several layers of security in the Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua. As the hungry and thirsty terrorists went around the village in search of drinking water the local villagers alerted the police authorities after which the encounter started.
Speaking to reporters at the encounter site on Wednesday, Additional Director General of Police Anand Jain said in the overnight operation, a joint team of security forces has so far eliminated two terrorists. One jawan of the Central Paramilitary Force (CRPF) also made a supreme sacrifice in the line of duty battling these terrorists and one civilian also received injuries in the heavy exchange of firing, Jain added. The CRPF jawans have been identified as Constable Kabir Dass of 121 Bn CRPF.
Sharing details Jain said two terrorists were spotted at village Saida Sukhal near Koota Morh in Hiranagar tehsil of Kathua district late Tuesday evening. One of the terrorists tried to lob a grenade and was killed in the exchange of firing while the second terrorist was hiding in the area. “There has been no civilian death or any kind of hostage-like situation. Only one civilian has been injured and he too has been evacuated to the hospital,” Jain said.
Asserting that it was a fresh infiltration bid, the Jammu Police chief said the hostile neighbour, a reference towards Pakistan, was trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the region.
On Chattargalla encounter, Jain said a joint Naka of 4 Rashtriya Rifles and police were fired upon by the terrorists tonight and the security personnel retaliated. “The encounter is on,” he added.
At least five jawans of the Rashtriya Rifles unit and one special police officer of Jammu and Kashmir police received injuries in the initial exchange of firing. The injured were shifted to the Bhaderwah sub-district hospital in the wee hours of Wednesday.
The increasing incidents of terrorist violence do not augur well for the region as the common citizens are eagerly awaiting to participate in the maiden Assembly polls after the reorganisation of the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories and the Abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A on August 5, 2019.
The ‘provocative’ terror strike on a pilgrim bus is also bound to impact the tourist arrivals in the region in the coming season. Though the yatra to the Maa Vaishno Devi Shrine is going on smoothly but the security forces may have to pull up their socks to prevent any other strike on pilgrims in the coming weeks during the yatra period.
Till the time of filing the report, the operation in Hiranagar was still going on as the security forces suspected the presence of more terrorists in the area. The residents were also advised to stay indoors and exercise utmost caution, especially during the night hours to prevent any untoward incident.
Following these three back-to-back incidents of terrorist violence, a high alert has been sounded across the Jammu region.
The intelligence agencies have also issued warnings anticipating suicidal attacks on vital security installations in the frontier district of Rajouri and parts of Jammu in the next 48 hours.
In Hiranagar, the security forces also recovered US-made M4 Carbine from the neutralised terrorist. The recovery suggested that the terrorists being most likely from the Pakistani terror group Jaish e Muhammad.
Similar weapons were used in the Reasi terror attack as well. As per the police, the recovered arms and ammunition included; three magazines containing 30 rounds, one another magazine containing 24 rounds, 75 rounds in a separate polythene, 3 live grenades, 1 lakh currency (200 notes of rupees 500), eatables (Pakistan-made chocolates, dry channa and stale chapatis), Pakistan-made medicines and injections (pain-killers), 1 syringe, 2 packs of A4 batteries and 1 handset wrapped in tape having antenna and 2 wires hanging from the handset.
Chronology of terrorist attacks in Jammu region since 1 January 2024
April 22, Rajouri: A government official is killed in Shahdara Sharief area exactly 20 years after his father was also killed
April 28, Udhampur: A VDG member was killed in Chochru Gala when terrorists opened fire on a patrol party.
May 4, Poonch: A convoy of the Indian Air Force attacked at Shahsitar. A corporal level officer was killed, four others injured
June 9, Reasi: First terror incident of its kind, a running bus packed with pilgrims is fired at leaving 9 dead.
The attack coincided with the oath ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
June 11, Kathua: Attack after possibly fresh infiltration. Two foreign terrorists killed, and an injured trooper succumbs. Engagement, still in progress.
June 12, Doda: At least six security personnel are injured in a midnight check-post attack. Engagement is in progress.
