Recent audacious terror strikes in the Kashmir valley, including the one on Friday in which six cops were martyred by Pakistan-based lashkar-e-Tayyeba (leT) in Anantnag, bear resemblance to Maoist-style attacks. Such strikes in which only police parties were targeted have drawn the attention of the senior police officers towards this possible Maoist link.
Though there is no direct evidence to suggest that the terrorist outfits in Kashmir are in direct touch with Maoist groups, two recent strikes on Jammu & Kashmir policemen seem to suggest terrorist groups operating in the Valley have been imparting Naxal-like guerrilla warfare training to their cadre.
In June 16 attack, terrorists had taken a cue from Maoists by creating roadblocks to prevent free movement of passenger vehicles before ambushing the police party. When the police van slowed down due to roadblock near Kulgad village, the terrorists ambushed the police party from all directions.
They sprayed so many bullets that the cops couldn’t even move to retaliate. Even the dead bodies of policemen lay scattered along the road till reinforcements were rushed to the spot.
The hiding terrorists were aware of the route the police team was taking to reach their destination. That is why they dared to target them without facing any resistance, and vanished without any fear of getting trapped or tracked down by the huge presence of security forces in the area. The ambush site was roughly 6 km from Anantnag town, official sources said. Real time intelligence sharing helped them pick their target easily and caught the police party, travelling in a non-bulletproof vehicle, off guard.
Earlier on May 1, 2017, security forces were stunned when a cash van of a local bank was selectively targetted by terrorists in Kulgam area. Five policemen and two bank guards were killed in the deadly strike.
Security forces operating in the Kashmir valley view the incidents as an alarming development, especially in the run up to Amarnath pilgrimage starting on June 29. The Indian Army has already pressed five additional battalions to physically dominate the vulnerable stretches of National Highway passing through south Kashmir pockets and communally sensitive areas to prevent any flare-up in the area.
Since security forces are anticipating spike in terrorist attacks on the eve of first death anniversary of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani on July 8, they are not ready to take any chances to suffer causalities.