Militants deliberately leak location information to trap security forces?

SRINAGAR: Jammu areas have become a terrorism staging ground again and, in the past less than three years more than fifty Army men and other security personnel have been killed-ten of them this month only- in sneak attacks or gun fights with militants.

Often the security forces suffered casualties after they moved in distant forested and hilly areas considered as being tough terrain for a ground war in the districts of Doda, Kishtwar, Reasi, Kathua, Poonch and Rajouri on “tip offs” or “credible human intelligence” about the presence of militants.

The latest such incident occurred in the Uran Baggi woods of Doda’s Dessa area on Monday night in which Captain Brijesh Thapa and three other soldiers of the Army’s counterinsurgency Rashtriya Rifles laid down their lives.

While the Army with Jammu and Kashmir police and various Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) is currently spearheading a series of operations to hunt down and eliminate militants in the upper reaches of these districts, some security forces officials who have vast experience in combating militancy have reportedly called for acting “very cautiously and carefully” on such “tip-offs” to avoid possible dangers.

They believe that it is possible that the militants may be deliberately getting the information about their locales leaked to trap the security forces. “It has happened in the heyday of insurgency in the Kashmir Valley also- if not frequently but at times - that the security forces were tipped off about the presence of militants in a particularly area and when they reached there, they discovered that they (militants) were in a good attack position,” corroborated a retired police officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

He added, “Militants and terrorists use a variety of dangerous tactics to surprise their opponents and win the game. You must be very careful while acting on such tip-offs and human intelligence. Before you decide to go and take on them you must ensure you are fully prepared and equipped and, more importantly, keep an eye out for suspicious situations.” The veteran cautioned, “This is a real war, though of low intensity, going on here and you have to take on these well-trained and heavily equipped militants more professionally and not try to be Chulbul Pandeys.”

Nevertheless, the Army authorities have repeatedly said that they are abreast of the dangers and that their men stay alert in the face of danger and work endlessly to eliminate the “scourge of terrorism” in J&K. On Tuesday, the Northern Command in a statement issued in garrison town of Udhampur said that it has relentlessly been conducting a series of joint and coordinated operations with the J&K police “to hunt down and eliminate foreign terrorists who have infiltrated from across the border and are moving in the upper reaches of Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar districts and then sneaking into the Kashmir Valley”.

“All formations of northern command are committed to eliminate the scourge of terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir for which the relentless operations will continue. A number of measures have been instituted to enhance synergy between various agencies which include joint training with J&K Police and Central Armed Police Forces and robust intelligence sharing mechanism between Army, police and other intelligence agencies," the statement said, adding that clear guidelines have been enunciated towards ensuring no collateral damage and disruption in day-to-day life of the locals in the area and that close interaction with local populace is also ensured for flow of intelligence inputs.

Meanwhile, the J&K police have launched a massive crackdown on the alleged Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of the militants by arresting several persons in Doda district alone. The police said that an FIR was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act at Police Station Gandoh. They said that three persons namely Mubashir Hussain, Safdar Ali, and Sajad Ahmed were arrested, and they are currently under judicial custody and lodged in a jail at Bhaderwah.

Another FIR was registered at the same police station on June 26 and subsequently one person identified as Showkat Ali was arrested who is currently in police custody. A statement said, “The Doda police is committed to dismantle the OGW's network in the district. More arrests are likely to be carried out soon.”