More attacks in offing, says Parrikar

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Thursday that there could be more terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in view of the ongoing Assembly elections.

Talking to reporters, Parrikar, who is on a maiden visit to the state after assuming office, said the recent terror attacks were meant to bring down the percentage of people taking part in the democratic exercise.

“The polling percentage in Tral (South Kashmir) has gone up from one per cent (in Lok Sabha polls) to 37.8 per cent (this time). So, the people are coming out and voting in large numbers. It indicates that people of Jammu and Kashmir want to be part of India as a democratic set up,” he said, adding that the possibility of such attacks cannot be ruled out till the results are declared.

The minister, however, said the Army was alert to thwart any such attempts. “It was witnessed on that day in both the incidents where neutralising the militants was carried out by the Army in a very professional way,” he added.

Parrikar, who arrived here in the backdrop of a deadly attack on an Army camp in north Kashmir’s garrison town of Uri, in which eight soldiers were killed, reviewed the security situation at a high-level meeting with top Army commanders at Badami Bagh Cantonment here.

The minister was briefed by General Officer Commanding- in-Chief of Army’s Northern Command Lt General D S Hooda about the security situation at the Line of Control and hinterland, sources told Deccan Herald.

Parrikar was also briefed by General Officer Commanding of Army’s 15 Corps Lt General Subrata Saha about the Army operations in Kashmir, with particular reference to Uri operation on December 5 and Nowgam infiltration  bid that was foiled on December 2.