Jammu targeted to ease pressure in Kashmir, Ladakh: Experts

With the arc of terror spreading to the hitherto peaceful districts of Jammu region, security experts on Tuesday attributed the spike in attacks, including the Kathua attack, to the imminent assembly elections, infiltration of terrorists via the border and Line of Control besides local support and the redeployment of troops from the area.

“The arc of terror is spreading and it’s being targeted with a specific policy of countering the narrative of peace returning to Jammu and Kashmir post revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Since all parameters in Kashmir have improved drastically, Pakistan and China are now conspiring on how to counter this narrative of peace and development returning to J&K. To meet this ulterior motive, they are targeting the Jammu region, where the deployment of forces has been reduced in the past 15 years as peace prevails,” former Jammu and Kashmir director general of police Shesh Paul Vaid said.

The Jammu region, he said, is vulnerable to terror attacks given its hilly and forest terrain, poor road network and depleted strength of army and paramilitary forces. With security forces focused on counter-insurgency operations in the Kashmir Valley and manning the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, Pakistan has changed its strategy to foment trouble in the Jammu region. “India has maintained pressure on China in Ladakh and in Kashmir. Therefore, targeting Jammu is the new strategy. They want to compel India to withdraw forces from Ladakh and Kashmir and in turn deploy them in the Jammu region,” he said.

‘Take terror sympathisers to task, check infiltration’

Vaid agreed with incumbent DGP RR Swain’s view that there is a need to take strict action against terror sympathisers. “It’s a fact that some locals, may be because of fear, money or ideology, are helping terrorists by providing them food, shelter and transport. These people need to be identified by the local police and taken to task. They should be dealt with severely. We must ensure that no infiltration takes place from the international border (IB) and the LoC. All these attacks are happening because of successful infiltrations,” he said.

The Indian Army guards the 744-km LoC and the Border Security Force (BSF) has the operational responsibility of securing the 198-km IB.

“The army and the BSF must ensure additional measures to strengthen the anti-infiltration obstacle system at the borders. Infiltration needs to be stopped first,” he said.

DGP Swain had said, “Locals found supporting foreign terrorists will be dealt with under the Enemy Agents Ordinance, which is harsher than the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.” On June 13, Swain had said that security forces were preparing “a befitting reply to foreign terrorists in the Jammu region”. “A war has been imposed on us but I assure you that we would kill every terrorist in J&K,” he had added.

Terrorists exploiting void

Lieutenant General BS Jaswal (retd), a former Northern Command army commander, said that troop density in the areas south of the Pir Panjal had reduced because forces were being pulled out for deployment in the Ladakh sector amid the ongoing standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control.

“The terrorists want to exploit the void created by the redeployment of forces. Also, the Jammu region is reporting more terror incidents because infiltrators are looking at using ingress routes into the Kashmir Valley from this side,” he said.

Of late, Jammu and Kashmir has been rattled by a spike in terror attacks. The death toll in the twin encounters in Kulgam district climbed to eight, including six terrorists, on Sunday as security forces recovered two more bodies. The twin encounters began on Saturday in two villages of Kulgam district.

On June 26, three terrorists were killed after a gunfight broke out between terrorists and security forces in the Gandoh area of Doda district.

On June 9, terrorists had attacked a pilgrims’ bus in Reasi that left nine people dead and 42 others injured. The bus was returning from Shiv Khori shrine to Katra. The attack coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers taking oath in New Delhi. Jammu region was rattled by four terror attacks in as many days. The attacks in Reasi, Doda and Kathua districts left nine civilians and a CRPF jawan dead besides 49 others, including seven security personnel, injured. The security forces had also killed two terrorists in Kathua.

Terrorists had attacked a joint security picket of the police and army in Chattargala area of Bhaderwah, adjoining Kathua district on June 11. Five army personnel and a police officer were injured in the attack.

The next day, terrorists attacked a police team, injuring head constable Fareed Ahmed at Kota Top in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district.

Union home minister Amit Shah has directed the administration and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir to adopt similar tactics in Jammu region as they did in Kashmir to contain terrorism. Shah issued directions to replicate the success achieved in the Kashmir Valley through the zero terror and area dominance plans in the Jammu region with focus on sensitive areas.