The surge in militant activities in Jammu comes at a time when the militancy seems to be on its way out in Kashmir Valley. The fact that most of the perpetrators of multiple terror attacks in Jammu since June 9 are still at large and their number remains unknown makes the future uncertain, reports Riyaz Wani
On June 9, hours before prime minister Narendra Modi was set to take oath as prime minister for the third consecutive time, a bus carrying pilgrims to the base camp of the Hindu temple Mata Vaishno Devi came under attack from militants. The driver lost control and the bus tumbled into a ravine, killing nine pilgrims.
This was followed by another attack at Saida Sukhal village in Hira Naga sector, close to the International Border, in Kathua district in which two militants were killed and a CRPF jawan lost his life.
While an encounter in Kathua village was on, militants attacked a joint patrol party of police and army at a checkpoint at Chattergala area in neighbouring Doda district at midnight. Five Armymen and a police jawan were injured in the attack.
Then in Doda’s Kota top area near Gandoh, a special police officer was injured after a joint team of police and paramilitary forces came under fire from militants.
This has once again put the Jammu division on edge. The region has been a site of renewed militancy since 2021. Rajouri and Poonch, the twin districts, alone accounted for 53 deaths out of 134 militancy-related killings in 2023, roughly 40 percent of total killings. Of the 53 people killed in the two districts, 19 were Army personnel, including a few officers.
This year, so far the situation was largely under control until the post-June 9 spurt in the violence. This has taken security forces by surprise. J&K Director General of Police R.R. Swain has accused Pakistan of trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the region, and asserted that the forces were determined to give a befitting response to the enemy. Swain also warned the locals supporting terrorism that they would repent their decision.
“They have stakes including families, land and jobs, unlike Pakistani terrorists who have nothing to lose,” the DGP said. “The clear intent of the adversary is that if they cannot motivate locals for subversive activities to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Kashmir, send their own people.”
Earlier in an interview before the attacks, the DGP said that “70-80 foreign terrorists have infiltrated Kashmir and are posing a threat to peace in the region.” He stressed the necessity of taking tough actions against certain individuals to maintain peace for the larger interest of the masses.
The surge in militant activities in Jammu comes at a time when the militancy seems to be on its way out in Kashmir Valley. The fact that most of the militants who carried out these killings are still at large and their number remains unknown makes the future uncertain. It is likely that more violence is in store until the security forces track them down. So far, the extensive search in the jungles has yielded no result, but it may in the near future.
The militants who have infiltrated from across the border are believed to be very well-trained. Successive militancy-related incidents have momentarily shifted attention away from the lingering turmoil in the Kashmir Valley to Jammu which has otherwise been free of militancy over the last two decades – the sporadic incidents of violence notwithstanding. But the last three years have witnessed some revival of militancy in the twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch.
It remains to be seen whether the violence in Jammu intensifies or abates going forward. The pattern over the last three years has been one of a sudden spike followed by an extended lull. For example, in 2021, the militants vanished into thin air soon after successive incidents of violence during July and August. Last year too, the violence disappeared after a few sensational attacks. The militants who carry these out are believed to return to Pakistan from where they come. Will this turn of events repeat this year? The situation in the coming weeks in the region will make things clear on this score.
