It may not have yielded desired results in Kachdoora and Dragad but over the past some months security agencies have been working on a strategy of engaging militants in encounters during the night “to minimize chances of collateral damage and law and order problem”.
“Yes of course strategy has changed. We were planning it for some time now,” Inspector General of Police S P Pani told Greater Kashmir. “Whenever we receive information about the presence of militants, we usually start the operation late into the night and try to finish it by the first light”.
Records available with the security agencies reveal that most of the Search and Destroy Operation (SADO) in the last two months were carried out during the night. “About 24 operations were carried out during night in last months,” official records say.
The strategy was formulated soon after civilians started thronging encounter sites, but it was firmly implemented on the ground in the last about four months. But the strategy hasn’t often worked out as desired. In Kachdoora and Dragad gunfights the security forces placed the cordon around 10.30 pm but the operations dragged on until the following day, leading to people coming out to protest.
“The strategy is designed to prevent civilian killings,” IG Pani said. “We try to avoid civilian killings and new strategy has been somewhat working.”
The IG said that during the day “they keep watch and tight surveillance and during the night target is chased”.
The strategy is in operation in the entire Kashmir. “All operations in Hajin-Bandipora were carried out during the night and very recently a militant was also killed during night operation,” the officer added.
In South Kashmir, the strategy has seen more extensive implementation. “I tried to execute most of the operations before the sunrise to avoid law and order problem,” senior superintendent of police, Anantnag, Altaf Khan, told Greater Kashmir. “We try to ensure there is no collateral damage and civilians do not suffer during anti-militancy operations but protesters hamper our efforts by shouting slogans and throwing stones. This poses a great risk to locals who put their lives on the line.”
About 29 civilians have died and scores of other have been injured during protests near encounter sites over the past two years.
The first incident in which civilians fell to bullets of police and army near encounter site took place at Lelhar village in Pulwama district on 15 February 2016. Two students including a girl were killed and 10 civilians injured when forces opened fire and resorted to teargas shelling to disperse the protesters who had hit the streets following the death of a militant in a gunfight.