Rise in local recruitment, infiltration: Security agencies fine-tune strategy in J&K

Srinagar: As local recruitment into militancy and infiltration from across the border has once again seen a rise, security agencies are fine-tuning the ‘winter strategy’ to keep the peace intact in the Union Territory (UT).

After seeing a decline in the first six months of this year, infiltration attempts along the Line of Control (LoC) and recruitment of locals into militancy have seen a gradual rise in the last few months.

In the last week of October, targeted killings also made a comeback with three persons, including a police officer and a migrant labourer, being killed by the militants.

“Though indigenous militant outfit Hizbul Mujahideen has lost steam after the killing of its top commanders and a crackdown on its parent organisation – Jama’at-e-Islami - by security agencies, Pakistan-based outfits Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad have taken a centre-stage in Kashmir militancy,” sources told DH.

They said a few dozen militants may have crossed over the LoC in recent months. Besides, local recruitment has also seen a gradual increase in the south Kashmir districts of Shopian and Kulgam giving “some impetus to militant outfits.”

Newly-appointed Chief of Jammu and Kashmir Police, R R Swain held a series of meetings last week in several districts of Kashmir and sought inputs from the officers to launch an exercise to contain local recruitment into militancy.

The police chief asked the officers that every recruitment to terrorist organisations – as an active terrorist, an overground worker or as a hybrid sleeper cell terrorist – shall be taken legal and operational cognisance.

A senior police officer said that while the focus has been to eradicate the eco-system which provides oxygen to the terrorism in Kashmir, “Pakistan spy agency ISI is trying to recruit as many locals as possible into militancy to keep the pot boiling.”

He said targeted killings are not uncommon in Kashmir, and the range of victims is wide. “As Lok Sabha elections are approaching, there is every apprehension that terrorists may enhance violence and particularly targeted killings. Though militants are on the run, they have still numbers and striking power,” the officer added.

Recently, Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha chaired a high-level security review meeting in Srinagar where these issues were reportedly discussed. “The meeting was aimed to work out a plan to ensure there is no disturbance to the prevailing peace and to further cement the peace in UT to provide more relief to common people,” a source revealed.