After suffering huge setbacks at the hands of the security forces in recent anti-terrorist operations, the terrorist handlers have been desperately trying to register their presence by targeting the security forces convoy using Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) along their routes in the Kashmir valley.
Since March 16, as many as four Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have been recovered and defused in Kashmir, prompting a heightened security vigil across the region.
According to official sources, these IEDs were found in Bandipora, Pulwama, Kupwara, Kulgam, and Shopian districts of Kashmir Valley.
The Director General of Police J and K, Nalin Prabhat also rushed to Srinagar on Thursday to assess the current security situation.
During the security review meeting, DGP reiterated the ‘zero-tolerance policy’ against terrorism. He also directed the officers to remain on high alert. According to a spokesman of the Srinagar-based Chinar Corps, on March 19 a major terror incident, which would have threatened the innocent lives of Kashmiri citizens, was averted after a joint team of the Indian army and Jammu and Kashmir police recovered and destroyed an IED on the critical line of communication along Bandipora-Srinagar Road, Aragam.
The busy road link is often used by security convoys for their routine movement towards the Gurez valley.
Likewise, on March 17, another IED was found in a pressure cooker in Kulgam district’s Qaimoh village while another one was defused in Kupwara and Pulwama district this week.
Following the recovery of IEDs a general advisory was also issued to the politicians and protected persons to exercise extra caution and avoid changing their travel plans without the knowledge of the security personnel deployed on security duties. A senior police officer posted in the North Kashmir district of Kupwara said, “These IED attempts by terrorists are aimed at creating panic and showing their presence even though the local cadre has significantly depleted”.
According to a recent assessment, at least 59 foreign terrorists from three different terror outfits and 17 local terrorists are active in Jammu and Kashmir. Of the 59 foreign terrorists, 21 are from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), 35 from Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and three are associated with Hizbul Mujahideen (HM).
Security experts claim, “Due to sharp decline in the number of local recruitment in the terrorist ranks, the number of active terrorists has reduced in the valley and it is for the same reason the terrorist handlers have been resorting to the use of IEDs to trigger blasts along the routes of the security convoys”.
