Tight vigil on LoC forces ultras to snatch weapons

The tight vigil on Line of Control by the security forces has made militants desperate in Kashmir valley as poor arms availability for fresh local recruits is forcing the terror outfits to resort to weapon-snatching from security personnel to fill their depleting armory.

Over the last two years, militants have resorted to number of hit-and-run attacks on security forces, especially in south Kashmir, and most of the times, they have decamped with weapons of the killed security personnel.

Such incidents have added a new dimension to the once waning militancy. “Since 2013, we have seen militants desperate to snatch weapons. This is mainly done as they are running short of weapons to recruit new militants,” a police officer told Deccan Herald.

“The problem for militants has aggravated as the LoC has turned impermeable to carry weaponry. Even if militants take risk to sneak into the Valley, they don’t carry major weaponry like earlier. Under the circumstances, carrying hit-and-run attacks on security forces and decamping weapons has become necessary for their survival,” he added.

In majority of the attacks since 2013, police sources said attackers had a common modus operandi in looting away weapons from their men. “The pistol-borne recruits lay siege around a camp or post, that is located away from the markets. Normally, these incidents have taken place where there is insufficient number of policemen posted,” they said.

Sources said security agencies have issued a high-alert to patrolling troops – particularly Jammu and Kashmir Police – asking them to be vigilant as militants might try to overpower and disarm them.

According to police data, there are around 140 active militants in Kashmir. Of which, more than a dozen joined the militant ranks following the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru in February 2013.

Since 2004, when Army erected heavy electric fencing and installed monitors to keep a tight watch on infiltration, the militants are finding it hard to infiltrate in large numbers along with the weapons.