Srinagar, June 8: Following a sudden spurt in militant attacks, the security agencies have revived the earlier practice of area-domination through night patrolling.
“The practice of joint night patrolling (area-domination) by Army, CRPF and JK Police has been revived in several parts of the Valley following latest incidents of violence,” the outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC) 15 Corps, Lt Gen AM Hasnain told reporters here today when asked about recent attacks across the Valley.
He said following some untoward incidents, the Army had stopped night patrolling and militants took advantage of this to ferry explosives and other ammunition. “They took advantage in moving from one place to another and carry out attacks especially in south Kashmir. Now Army has started area domination during the night in south Kashmir and we are hopeful that things will again be under control soon,” he added.
Police sources say Sarpanchs and Panchs have become the soft target with south Kashmir emerging as a hotbed of fresh violence.
The area also witnessed two incidents of decamping of weapons from police guards and culprits are yet to be nabbed.
Police say the people who are being targeted are not in a position to retaliate resulting in fatalities. They add that it was very difficult for them to nab the attackers, as the plans were executed by sympathizers or Over Ground Workers (OGW) of different militant outfits on the behest of their mentors.
The posters threatening the elected Panchs and Sarpanchs surfaced in south Kashmir first in September last year, but the first attack on elected Sarpanchs and Panchs by suspected militants according to police records took place on November 12, 2011.
On that day suspected militants opened fire on a Sarpanch at bus-stand Tral. He was injured. The police investigations have revealed involvement of militants in the incident.
Police records mention that six such incidents have taken place in south Kashmir, where firearm was used to kill or harm anybody. “We think personal rivalry is behind some of these incidents,” says Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) south Kashmir Vijay Kumar.
In one of the incidents on February 9 this year militants shot dead a Sarpanch Ghulam Muhammad Dar in Hawoora village of Kulgam district.
Later, police solved the killing and claimed that the accused were found to be involved in hatching a conspiracy to eliminate the Sarpanch with the help of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) militants.
“The accused had launched an election boycott campaign during the Panchayat elections held in  2011 and were intimidating the contesting candidates by pasting  threatening posters, distribution of letters and resorting to stone pelting on their houses,” police has said soon after solving the case.
DIG said that there was no chance for revival of militancy in south Kashmir. “We have a less number of identified militants in south Kashmir. They are not in a position to attack the police or other security forces,” the police officer said. “Now they carry out such attacks to show their presence. These people who are victims of such attacks are the soft targets.”
Vijay Kumar disclosed that police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Army have started joint night patrolling. “Now the joint patrolling would be carried,” he said and added the operational forces have also beefed up their anti-militancy operations. “We will track them.”

Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Jun 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Fri, 8 Jun 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sat, 9 Jun 2012 00:00:00 IST