J K News Today Commentary, need for new CI strategy
Jammu, January 6
The killing of four policemen in an IED blast in north Kashmir’s Sopore town , which had witnessed horrendous violence on this day in 25 years ago , serves as a grim reminder that the militancy in Kashmir is far from over .
That this incident has come close on heels of the “ fidayeen” attack by Jaish-e-Mohammad militants, including two local boys- a new and worrying scenario – tells two things in a blunt manner . One, the militancy is alive and it is not short of human resources nor killing devices . Secondly, despite the high alert and the security safeguards, militants are able to hit at their targets the way they want.
An IED is a low-risk attack for t doesn’t involve direct clash between militants and security personnel. It can be planted with ease and triggered with remote devices as and when the target approaches the targeted place . That , however, tells that the militants could find hands to plant the device and trigger the same . it may not be as high profile as the “ fidayeen” attack but was as deadly as the attack . the casualties suffered by police tell the tale.
In the bang of the IED explosion , it should also be noted that the militants chose the day and timing that coincided with carnage that the town had witnessed on this day in 1993 when more than 45 of them were shot dead and nearly 300 houses and shops reduced to ashes . This has not been forgotten by the people , otherwise the militants could not have exploded the device with such an ease in the town. The people continue to be sympathetic to militants. It is a ground reality .
This incident calls for a new and people-friendly counter insurgency approach.
