Army concerned over spurt in violence, infiltration attempts

Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 15: Amidst growing violence in the Kashmir valley and some videos pertaining to security forces going viral, Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat today air-dashed here from New Delhi and briefed Governor NN Vohra on the situation prevailing in the Valley and frontiers with Pakistan.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Gen Rawat also met Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in New Delhi and briefed her on the situation.
Sources said the Centre and the State Governments were concerned over April 9 poll day violence in Budgam and increasing incident of youths targeting security forces with stones during encounters with the militants, creating problem in the anti-militancy operations. In some of the cases, the militants had managed to escape in view of restraint exercised by security forces to avert civilian casualties.
An official handout from the Raj Bhawan said: “during their hour long meeting, the Governor and the Army chief discussed external security environment and issues related to effective internal security management”.
It said the Governor and the Army chief also discussed varied opportunities that need to be provided to the youth for assuring them a stable and bright future.
In New Delhi, Gen Rawat had 30-minutes meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti at 7 pm. The Chief Minister is in the Union Capital since last evening.
Gen Rawat apprised Mehbooba about the situation in the Valley and the LoC and steps being taken by the troops to prevent intrusion bids. He also briefed Mehbooba Mufti on the action Army could take on tying of a youth in front of an Army vehicle.
Sources said internal security situation in the Kashmir valley, which has shown signs of revival of 2016 like summer unrest with eight killings on Srinagar Lok Sabha seat election- day violence and prior to that three civilian deaths in Chadoora and incidents of stone pelting was high on agenda of the State Government especially with regard to role of security forces in such a situation.
Added to it were the reports of ever increasing strength of militants at launching pads along Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir with the backing of Pakistan army and Pakistan-based militant outfits of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). Early this week, Army had gunned down four militants along the LoC in Keran sector when they were trying to infiltrate into the Kashmir valley.
Asserting that Army, para-military forces and Jammu and Kashmir Police were monitoring situation developing along the borders as well as hinterland, sources said there was unanimity among security forces for strengthening Counter-Infiltration and Counter-Militancy Grids in Jammu and Kashmir. For the purposes, all security agencies have already geared-up themselves.
Sources said the role of the Army in hinterland was confined to anti-militancy operations while para-military Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Jammu and Kashmir Police would deal with any kind of law and order situation developing in the Valley.
The Centre and the State Governments wanted Army to curb infiltration attempts by the militants at the LoC itself so that strength of the militants didn’t go up in the Kashmir valley. The infiltration of the militants during 2016 was stated to be very high as compared to 2015.
During 2016, both infiltration attempts and net estimated infiltrations had increased in comparison to 2015. In 2016, 364 infiltration attempts were made and 112 terrorists infiltrated into Jammu and Kashmir. There were 121 infiltration bids made in 2015 and 33 terrorists sneaked into the State.

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