*Over 250 guns, large quantity of ammunition seized
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Apr 25: In what could be the testimony of security situation remaining a matter of serious concern despite huge success by the security forces in neutralizing the terrorists, about 159 militants and over 1800 Over Ground Workers (OGWs) are still active in the State thereby necessitating the maintenance of heightened security apparatus.
According to the data of the Home Department, a total of 159 militants of different outfits and 1808 Over Ground Workers (OGWs) are active in different parts of the State with maximum presence in Sopore, Awantipora, Handwara and Pulwama areas of the Kashmir valley. However, the situation is comparatively better in six districts of Jammu province, where at present there is no presence of militants but their sympathizers are in large number.
In Sopore, there are 25 militants and 21 OGWs while as in Handwara and Awantipora there are 22 militants each with 220 and 26 OGWs respectively. Pulwama is also having presence of 14 militants and 50 OGWs. In Srinagar district, there are 5 militants and 100 OGWs, 8 militants and 27 OGWs in Kupwara, 6 militants and 107 OGWs in Baramulla, 5 militants and 77 OGWs in Budgam, 7 militants and 53 OGWs in Anantnag, one militant and 69 OGWs in Ganderbal and 7 militants and 121 OGWs in Bandipora.
As far as Jammu province is concerned, there is no presence of militants in Poonch, Reasi, Jammu, Samba, Udhampur and Doda districts while as there are five militants in Rajouri with 81 OGWs and three militants with 43 OGWs in Kathua. The Ramban and Kishtwar districts have 3 and 4 militants with 75 and 131 OGWs respectively. Out of 22 districts of the State, only Leh and Kargil are ones which have neither presence of militants nor over ground workers.
“The presence of 159 militants and over 1800 OGWs clearly indicates that there is no scope of showing any sort of complacency although huge success was made by the security forces during 2015”, top sources in the Home Depart-ment said while disclosing that during 2015 a total of 103 militants were eliminated by the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir. Moreover, 45 militants were arrested during the year but there was no surrender.
During 2015, a total of 291 terrorist incidents took place in the State with 23 incidents of grenade attack, which were on higher side as compared to 2014 when only 10 grenade blasts took place. However, 26 civilians lost their lives and 61 sustained injuries in the encounters between security forces and militants during the year.
Not only on eliminating militants, the security forces also achieved huge success in the form of recovery of arms, ammunition and explosive substances during the year 2015. As per the data, the security forces recovered 185 AK 47/56, 71 pistols/revolver, 267 hand grenades, 34 grenades, 47 UBGL and 5 IEDs either from the slain militants or from their hideouts, which were busted by the forces by ensuring proper coordination.
The seizure also includes RDX, other explosive material, anti personnel mines, rocket launchers etc. Moreover, Rs 675684 in Indian currency was also recovered from the militants.
According to the sources, keeping in view the prevailing situation vis-à-vis presence of militants and their sympathizers, instructions are being repeatedly issued to different security agencies to ensure utmost vigil so that the enemies of the country and State don’t succeed in their nefarious designs.
“A well-knit strategy is being adopted by the security forces in unison to ensure that supply of arms and ammunition or other logistics is restricted to the militants by way of keeping vigil on over ground workers as well as by plugging the infiltration routes”, sources said, adding “this will ultimately result into frustration among the hiding militants and subsequently they will come out of their safe havens and fall in the trap of security forces”.
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