Part of Operation All Out, random CASOs ‘to stop’ during Ramadan

Government forces in Jammu and Kashmir would stop random cordon and search operations during the month of Ramadan, and undertake such anti-militancy activity only when sure about presence of militants in a specific area.

The state’s security establishment took the decision after chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s idea of a unilateral ceasefire found no takers in New Delhi. 

   

“In Ramadan, anti-militancy operations will be based on a very specific human intelligence about the presence of militants,” Inspector General of paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Ravideep Sahi said. 

“We will not go for random CASOs in this month.” 

All components of the security establishment are on board about the decision, to facilitate ‘peaceful Ramadan’. 

“We will wait for the specific input based both human and technical intelligence and only then launch anti-militancy operations. There would be no frequent cordons or search operations as has been the practice of forces so far,” a top police officer told Greater Kashmir on condition of anonymity. 

Government forces will go back to the existing CASO strategy of random and surprise area domination for entrapping militants immediately after Eid-ul-Fitr.

In August 2017, the then Inspector General of Police, Muneer Ahmed Khan told this reporter frequent and sometimes random search operation in villages were aimed at clearing areas of the militants, dislodge them and keep them constantly on the run. 

“That forces them to enter in our trap easily,” he said.

The officer privy to this year’s Ramadan strategy also hinted that ‘Operation All Out’, launched following a spike in militancy after militant commander Burhan Wani’s death in 2016, will be suspended for the month of Ramadan in respect of sanctity of holy fasting.  

According to official figures, 275 militants were killed since the Operation, aimed at wiping out militancy in Kashmir, was started in March 2017. This year so far, 65 militants have been killed including top commanders of Hizbul Mujahideen.

Director General of Police, S P Vaid also hinted only intelligence-based operations will be carried out during the fasting month. 

“I hope to see people praying in mosques and shrines in large numbers without any fear,” Vaid said.  

Following the damp squib ceasefire call last week, chief minister Mufti later also directed government forces to adopt a calibrated approach while dealing with protests and armed encounters with militants during the month of Ramadan and the upcoming Amarnath pilgrimage.

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