40 fidayeen of this squad planning to strike terror in J&K soon, say Intelligence reports
There’s a new threat from a new terror outfit - the Afzal Guru squad, formed after the hanging of the Parliament attack convict last year. Intelligence agencies have sounded a high alert about the possibility of 40 fidayeen of this squad, based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), carrying out a major terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir in the next week or ten days.
Following the alert, security forces are tightening the counter-terrorism grid as it was this squad that was responsible for the daring attack on an Army camp in Hiranagar near Jammu in March this year. Moreover, with Intelligence inputs clearly saying that the highly motivated militants of this group had already identified targets, security around all military, paramilitary and police installations and camps has been beefed up as a precautionary measure.
The squad was formed after Guru’s hanging in February last year in Tihar Jail in New Delhi leading to widespread protests in Kashmir. His family was informed about the hanging two days after Guru was executed, leading to a major controversy. The then Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde admitted the issue could have been handled better and Guru’s family should have been informed as per jail rules.
Guru was convicted of helping the terrorists who carried out the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament in which 13 people were killed. Guru’s wife had filed a petition in 2006 asking for his death sentence to be commuted, which was rejected by President Pranab Mukherjee days before he was hanged.
As for the new outfit, after getting trained in basic infantry tactics and handling weapons, three of its heavily-armed ‘fidayeen’ carried out the first major attack on March 28 this year on an Army camp on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway after opening indiscriminate firing on an SUV carrying some civilians and hijacking the vehicle. An Army soldiers and two civilians were killed and four others were injured, two of them critically, in the terror strike.
Officials admitted on Sunday that the level of training and motivation of those militants was of a high standard and the latest Intelligence input was a cause of concern. Elaborating upon this factor, they said not much is known about the Afzal Guru squad as its members have so far kept a low profile.
The latest threat from the relatively unknown group has also added to the problems of security forces as they will now have to double their efforts to secure the forthcoming month-long Amarnath Yatra starting at the end of June and the Assembly elections in October, they said.
Meanwhile, as Pakistan Army and ISI continue to aid and abet militancy in Kashmir, officials said at least 30 incidents of ceasefire violations were reported so far in the area of operation of 16 Corps headquarters in Jammu region from January till date. Two soldiers were killed in IED explosions along the loC in Akhnoor and Mendhar sector in the recent weeks.
As per the fresh security assessment, around 200-250 trained militants continue to remain present across different launching pads across the loC whereas Border Action Teams (BAT) of Pakistan Army have made efforts to inflict maximum casualties on Indian soldiers by targeting them along the loC.
Security forces are also reviewing their preparedness after top militants of Al-Qaeda’s central command had purportedly released a video calling on Muslims of Kashmir to “join the jehad.” It is perhaps the first time that Kashmir has been specifically targeted.
The Army said in Srinagar on Sunday it was ready to take on any security challenge in Kashmir including the possibility of Al-Qaeda trying to set up a base in the Valley.
“We are prepared to take on any challenge,” General Officer Commanding of Army’s 15 Corps lt-Gen Gurmit Singh told reporters while replying to questions about reports that Al-Qaeda may set up a base in Kashmir.
Similar views were aired by Nagrotra-based 16 Corps chief lt-Gen KH Singh who said the possibility of Taliban pushing their men inside Indian borders cannot be completely ruled out. He said: “We at the Northern Command, and the 16 Corps in particular, are fully prepared for any eventuality. As of now, there is no indication of involvement of elements of Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on our side (loC).”
Director-General of J&K Police, K Rajendra, after chairing a recent security review meeting ahead of the Amarnath Yatra, told reporters in Jammu: “We are fully prepared to deal with any situation. Our soldiers along with paramilitary forces are aware of the threats and well-equipped to handle any emergent situation.”
Rajendra was responding to the recent threats issued by Al-Qaeda targeting the State of Jammu and Kashmir. According to official sources more than 60 companies of paramilitary forces along with men of the State police and Army would form a multi-tier security cover to ensure smooth conduct of the Amarnath Yatra starting from June 28, 2014.
In Srinagar, the 15 Corps chief said security forces have managed to neutralise 63 militants in the first half of the current year including 17 from lashkar-e-Taiyaba and 11 from Hizbul Mujahideen.