Security forces on Thursday carried out a massive search operation to flush out terrorists taking shelter in Shopian, around 50 km from Srinagar, even as the situation remained tense across the Valley. The joint operation involving the Army, the police and the Central Reserve Police Force, lasted for several hours. This was perhaps the biggest-ever exercise of this kind in a decade to hound out terrorists who have been attacking security forces in the troubled State of Jammu & Kashmir. In fact, just as the operation was winding up, Army’s civilian driver was killed and two soldiers were injured as terrorists ambushed an Army patrol in Shopian around 7 pm.
Earlier, in a day-long operation, over 4,000 troops were deployed to comb several villages in the districts, while helicopters and drones circled the air. However, no terrorists were arrested in the massive crackdown, which was reminiscent of the early 1990s when the Army swooped down on villages to neutralise terrorists. In the cluster of 15 villages, separated by swathes of apple orchards and mustard fields, the security forces faced hostile villagers at several places. At least three protesters were injured in clashes with security personnel.
Sources said that Rashtriya Rifles troops of 1, 62, 44 and 55 battalions, all under the command of Awantipora-based Victor Force (the counterinsurgency division operating in the entire south and parts of central Kashmir), CRPF jawans and local police cordoned off a cluster of villages, including Tarkwangam, Chitragam Kalan, Heff, Molu, Sugan and Trenz, situated on the left
side of a rivulet that separates Pulwama and Shopian districts.
The security vehicles entered the villages around 4 am and dispersed in the villages comprising around 950 households. The orchards and fields were sealed off.
The region, once a bastion of the ruling PDP, has of-late emerged as the hotbed of militancy. The security forces suspect that the latest video released by Hizbul Mujahideen militants, has been shot in the orchards. Around 19 terrorists led by Saddam Padder, in Army fatigues and wielding assault rifles, were seen in the video released by the outfit, a day before 22 social networking sites were banned by the authorities on April 25.
Following the operation, a ‘reverse sweep’ was conducted, in which the entire region was combed for the second time in case the terrorists remained undetected.
Sources said the decision to conduct the massive crackdown was taken at the Army headquarters after Army chief General Bipin Rawat concluded his two-day visit to Kashmir and assessed the ground situation in the hinterland as well as along the line of Control.
Sources said south Kashmir’s situation was flagged as the most sensitive as terrorists have been targeting security forces, banks, police guards and pro-India political leaders and workers, almost at will. The ruling PDP and Opposition NC and Congress workers have fled the area en masse while the police issued formal advisory to the constabulary not to visit their homes for security reasons.
During the last one month, three political workers, including district president of the PDP was shot dead.
Meanwhile, the Army chief said the combing operation is to ensure the situation is ‘brought under control’, especially given that summer has begun. “Today’s combing operation is to make sure that the situation is brought under control, post recent incidents,” he was quoted as saying by ANI. “Terrorists are going to attempt infiltration as snows are melting, summer months have started. So like each year, infiltration will commence.”
“We are taking measures, have beefed up our counterinfiltration posture to take care of the situation,” Gen Rawat said.
Thursday’s operation comes in the wake of multiple attacks against security forces and banks this week. Since Monday, four banks have been targeted by militants, and several lakhs of rupees stolen. The most brutal attack took place in Kulgam on May 1 when a cash van was attacked by Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists and five policemen and two Jammu & Kashmir Bank guards were killed. Their rifles were stolen by the terrorists, but there was no cash in the van.
On Tuesday, May 2, unidentified gunmen looted Rs 65,000 after attacking a branch of the Ellaquai Dehati Bank in Kulgam district.
On Wednesday, May 3, two banks were attacked within hours by unidentified gunmen. The first incident took place in an Ellaquai Dehati Bank branch in Waibug. Four armed militants stormed the branch office and looted Rs 3-4 lakh. A few hours later, a Jammu & Kashmir Bank branch was attacked in Nehama by militants. The loot amount is yet to be ascertained.