In the Kulgam encounter, signs of ground shifting

The twin attacks in Kulgam in South Kashmir ended with the security forces gunning down six militants while losing two of its men in the process. South Kashmir, once a major recruiting ground for militants, has been relatively calm in recent times with the focal point of terror strikes shifting to the Jammu region. The last year-and-a-half have seen a worrisome upward trend in terrorist attacks on security forces and civilians in the region that borders the forests of the Pir Panjal range. The worst of such incidents was the June 9 attack in Reasi near Katra, in which a group of militants fired on a bus carrying pilgrims and killed nine persons.

What distinguishes the Kulgam incident from the Jammu encounters is, of course, the precise intelligence input received by the security forces. Unlike in Jammu, where encounters have stretched for days taking a toll on the security forces, closure in Kulgam was swift. It suggests improvement in intelligence gathering by the security forces, which is possible only if the local sentiment turns against militancy. Not surprisingly, the local administration has claimed a rise in public support for ending terrorism in the region.

The security establishment has to maintain the upper hand on the ground, especially since the Centre is mulling holding assembly polls sometime soon. The high turnout in the general elections — Kulgam is part of the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, which reported 51.35% polling, the highest voting percentage in 35 years — suggests that people want the electoral process revived and have local voices represent them on all democratic platforms. The terror strikes may also be an attempt by the militants and their patrons to seize the narrative, create a climate of fear, and derail attempts to revive legislative politics. The State should not fall for it.