Presence of Islamic State in Jammu and Kashmir? Army says it’s vigilant

Srinagar: In the wake of stone pelting incidents and alleged presence of Islamic State (IS) flag during a rally, Army on Thursday said it is closely monitoring the situation and the issue was getting the highest concern of all security agencies.

"Certainly, we are watching and closely monitoring the situation as it were. As per my inputs, there was one incident of the kind that you refer to that of the (IS) flag. We are watching the situation as this is something, which merits the highest concern of all security agencies and let me tell you that it is getting the attention of all the security agencies," General Officer Commanding (GoC) of the Army's Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt Gen Subrata Saha told PTI.

Lt Gen Saha said the stone-pelting incidents on the choppers involved in rescue and relief operations during the floods last month were "isolated" and driven by "angst" among the people.

"Those were isolated incidents. Isolated incidents of, I would say, angst rather than anger ... because it is driven by a complex web of uncertainties in their mind which transitions from having to worry about food, medicines, education for children, their own livelihood, their money, so on and so forth," he said.

The army commander said such incidents were dealt in a befitting manner under the prevalent circumstances. "They were isolated incidents and we have dealt with them in a manner which was befitting to the circumstances of that kind," he said.

Lt Gen Saha rejected the reports of militants carrying out rescue operations in south Kashmir during the floods saying, "we have no such reports whatsoever".

Lt Gen Saha said the Army might be initiating the activities but was doing everything only with the collaboration of the people and in consultations with the civil administration.

"Even now, we are having a series of blood-donation camps. It is happening exactly as per the advice of the local doctors and consultations with the health secretary and so on. We have had one (blood donation camp) in Rangreth, we are having one in Badami Bagh Cantonment today. This will be followed by one in Sopore on September 11 and then Baramulla, Anantnag and so on.

"So, whatever activities that we are doing, we may be initiating, but everything is being done with the collaboration of the people," he said.