Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, July 8: Security along the National Highway has been intensified after yesterday’s attack by Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) in the outskirts of Srinagar in Pampore area of South Kashmir on Amarnath yatra route.
Highly placed sources said that LeT has developed a militant module in the outskirts of Srinagar that is based in Nowgam area of Srinagar, Newa and Pampore area of Pulwama bordering Srinagar. The module has posed a major security challenge for Srinagar city and parts of National Highway.
The sources said that the militant module is headed by a Pakistani militant and comprised of a local militant and some Over Ground Workers (OGWs). Police claimed that this militant module was responsible for the attack on the highway that led to the death of an Army personnel and injuries to the other at Kadalbal Pampore yesterday.
In a level security review meeting conducted by Inspector General of Police Kashmir, S M Sahai, this evening, it was decided that the security patrolling in Nowgam, Newa and parts of Pampore will be intensified to put pressure on this militant module that has posed a security challenge to national highway and Srinagar city.
It may be mentioned here that Srinagar city is already on alert and surprise security checks and frisking is being conducted for past one week following the reports of this module and other militant modules operating in Tral, Pulwama and Sopore aiming at Srinagar. But the security forces claimed that they have got major leads regarding the module.
DIG South Kashmir, Vijay Kumar, told Excelsior that security surveillance from Jawahar Tunnel to Pantha Chowk has been increased following the militant attack at Pampore.
He said that the night patrolling along the highway has also been intensified to keep militants away from the national highway that is being used by thousands of yatris, tourists, security forces and general public. He said that Road Opening Parties (ROPs) are already in place on the highway. “The security of Anantnag- Pahalgam yatra route has been also intensified for the security of yatra”, he added.
It may be mentioned here that as per security agency reports Tral, Kulgam, Shopian and parts of Pulwama district have sizeable number of militants and their presence has put the security of the national highway at risk in South Kashmir.
Governor N N Vohra, who is Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), also held an emergency security review meeting last evening after the Pampore attack.
The meeting was attended by BR Sharma, Principal Secretary Home and K Rajendra, Director General of Police. The meeting reviewed the security arrangements at the 6 major camps where 35,000 – 45,000 yatris are halting every day. The Governor has asked the Principal Secretary Home, who is also the Chairman of the High Level Committee to visit all the major Camps along with the members of the Committee to review the security and other arrangements.
In the meantime, Army today said that militants are likely to target security forces in busy and heavily populated areas with the aim of causing harm to innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
General Officer Commanding of Srinagar-based 15 Corps Lieutenant General Om Prakash in a statement said here that inimical elements are likely to fire upon security forces in busy populated areas and incite them to open fire so that it could lead to death or injuries to innocent civilians and cause collateral damage.
While giving details of the LeT attack on Army at Pampore, the GOC said: “Soldiers were securing the NH-44. On finding a suspiciously parked autorickshaw and scooter at Kadlabal Chowk, Pampore, two soldiers approached these vehicles. They were indiscriminately fired upon from very close range. The soldiers in spite of suffering casualties displayed utmost restraint and did not fire at the fleeing terrorists to avoid collateral damage.”
The GOC said: “There are inputs of large concentration of terrorists in launch pads across the LoC which indicates likelihood of increased attempts at infiltration in the future.”
He said the Army is fully geared up and is maintaining a high level of vigil along the LoC to thwart any nefarious designs of the militants.
On the ongoing operations in North Kashmir’s forests, the GOC said items recovered from the six killed militants indicate that either they were a receiving group or had freshly infiltrated.
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