The security establishment is grappling with alarming rise in terror activities in Jammu & Kashmir. According to Intelligence reports, the ranks of terrorists have swelled to nearly 250 in Kashmir valley with 30 new local recruits in the last few weeks. While the Valley is witnessing attacks by terrorists on daily basis over the last couple of months, terrorists are also trying to gain foothold in the largely peaceful Jammu region.
Admitting that “these are not at all good indicators of the things to come”, officials said, “The security forces were evolving new tactics to meet the new challenges to prevent the terrorists from gaining the upper hand.”
Elaborating upon the threat perception, since the number of terror-related incidents has been more than normal, especially in South Kashmir, the counter-insurgency grid will have to move swiftly to bring back the situation under control. Earlier, two or three incidents were recorded in a week, but now they are a daily occurrence. “It is definitely a cause for concern,” sources said.
Coupled with this, the security forces — including the Army, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the local police — will have to go after the terrorists in a more pro-active manner as the number of terrorists is increasing, the officials maintained. The officials said more than 250 terrorists — including 115 local terrorists — are now active in the Valley and are provided sanctuary by over ground workers (OGW).
Similarly, nearly 30 local young men have joined the ranks of militants this year between January and April, officials said adding the average was three to four youths taking to gun every fortnight.
The third factor is the activities of Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of terror outfits and surrendered terrorist in regions of Doda and Chenab valley in Jammu division. This area was by and large peaceful with minimal terrorist activity reported. But the handlers of the militant hiding in Kashmir valley are now trying to spread the ‘’arc of terror’ across the entire Jammu region by activating their sleeper cells to create safe hideouts for terrorists.
Asked to spell out steps envisaged to counter these trends, officials said the security forces will extend their “outreach” in the interior areas of Jammu & Kashmir regions in the coming days. The main objective is to keep the terrorists on the run and force them to come out of their hideouts. Moreover, search and clear operations will also be conducted as part of domination in the hinterland to deny space and time to the terrorists, they said. “Sympathisers and OGWs are warned to refrain from supporting the ultras,” they asserted.
Security forces are gathering inputs from various Intelligence agencies in the region over efforts being made to revive militancy in the hilly districts of Jammu region bordering river Chenab. They were alarmed after unidentified gunmen on May 8 targeted special police officers on duty at a remote police post in Doda.
The police launched a massive manhunt and managed to bust a well-knit terror module of lashkar -e Tayyeba (leT) in the region. A special police officer (SPO) and a former Territorial Army man were among seven personnel arrested by the state police.
It came as a surprise when police came to know about the involvement of surrendered militant Abdul Rashid behind the attack. He was an active leT militant from 2001 through 2008 and had later surrendered. Abdul Rashid was rearrested in 2013 and later bailed out in 2016. After sustained interrogation, he confessed to his involvement in the attack and also disclosed the name of his two associates -- his younger brother Shoket Ali and Akthar Magary.
The police also recovered an AK-47 rifle, three magazines and ammunition from them, officials said adding Rashid was in direct touch with his Pakistani handler and directed to entice youth in the Jammu region to join militancy. The police also learnt Rashid was addressing meetings of surrendered militants motivating them to rejoin the ranks of militant organisations.