MHA deputes top Counter Terror experts to Kashmir
Major offensive against militants on cards
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 8: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha today reached New Delhi to meet representatives of the Central Government including Union Home Minister Amit Shah to devise strategy to counter “targeted killings” started by the militants with seven persons killed in past one week even as the Union Home Ministry today rushed top Counter Terrorism (CT) experts of various security agencies to the Valley to liaison with Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and security forces to eliminate those responsible for the killings.
Official sources told the Excelsior that Sinha left for the Union capital this afternoon during which he will meet some representatives of the Central Government including the Home Minister for review of security situation in Jammu and Kashmir especially the Valley to check the trend of selective killings and rising militancy related incidents.
Shah had yesterday also reviewed Jammu and Kashmir situation with top brass of Union Home Ministry, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval and heads of the BSF and CRPF. In fresh meeting also, the NSA and senior officers of almost all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), which are engaged in anti-militancy operations in J&K, are expected to be present.
While the Lieutenant Governor is originally scheduled to return to Srinagar on Monday, he might cut short his visit to New Delhi in the wake of recent killings in Kashmir amidst reports that security forces could go all out against the militants responsible for targeted attacks which has spread wave of panic among the minorities even though concerned districts have been making all security arrangements for their protection.
“The Ministry of Home Affairs along with the NSA, the Lieutenant Governor and heads of all security agencies are expected to devise a new strategy to deal with fresh threat posed by the militants especially The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) outfit which has managed to recruit new militants to indulge in targeted killings using pistols with point blank range,” sources said.
Only yesterday, Manoj Sinha in brief interaction with media persons followed by an interview to a national Hindi news channel had expressed confidence that the people will see change in security situation in the next one week and that every drop of blood of innocent persons spilled by the militants will be avenged. This indicated that the Central and the Union Territory Governments are going to act tough against the militants especially the new challenge of selective killings to dispel fear among the minorities and the tourists as the tourism had started picking up in the Valley after decline in COVID cases.
“A fresh offensive against the militants is on the cards,” sources said. They added that routine operations against the militants continued even during COVID wave but now a major offensive is expected to be launched against them especially the civilian killers.
Apart from attending the Union Home Minister’s meeting, the Lieutenant Governor is also likely to meet some more representatives of the Central Government to brief them on security situation in Jammu and Kashmir and the steps being taken to maintain normalcy and instill confidence among the minorities to prevent their migration.
Meanwhile, the Union Home Ministry has deputed Counter Terrorism experts of different security agencies to the Kashmir valley to liaison with Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security forces involved in anti-militancy operations.
Counter Terrorism experts of four agencies have reached the Valley. They include Intelligence Bureau (IB) Head of Counter Terrorism Operations Tapan Deka.
They are expected to stay in the Valley for few days to frame strategy to intensity operations against the militants especially the new groups which have emerged and were recruiting youth to indulge in selective killings using pistols and other such small weapons.
Only yesterday, the Border Security Force (BSF) had recovered four pistols and large quantity of ammunition from the International Border (IB) in Samba sector which had been sent from Pakistan for the militants for targeted killings. Sources said a large number of pistols were already reported to have reached the Valley which could be in possession of the militant outfits.
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