High Alert In Jammu As Hizbul Mujahideen Terrorist Yasir Bhat Goes Missing

A high alert has been sounded in the Jammu region after Yasir Bhat, a Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist, went missing from his residence in South Kashmir's Kulgam district.

Bhat, who had been out on bail, was involved in a grenade attack at the Jammu bus stand in March 2019, resulting in the death of one civilian and injuries to 28 others, according to officials.

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High Alert In Jammu - Here's Why

Posters of Bhat have been distributed throughout the region by police, urging the public to provide any information on his whereabouts. On July 27, sketches of three terrorists responsible for recent terror attacks in the Doda district were released by the Jammu and Kashmir Police, as reported by Hindustan Times. These attacks included an ambush that left an army officer and three soldiers dead in the Urarbagi area of Dessa forest on July 16.

A reward of ₹5 lakh has been announced for information leading to the capture of each terrorist. The trio is reportedly moving into the upper reaches of Doda and Dessa, according to police reports.

The July 16 attack marked the second major encounter in the Jammu region after five soldiers were killed in an ambush in Kathua's Badnota village on July 8. Jammu and Kashmir have been experiencing a spike in terror attacks recently.

The Centre listed out a slew of measures on July 30 to contain terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, including identifying the strategic supporters of terrorists, cracking down on terror financing, and enhancing the counter-insurgency grid. This year, 28 people have been killed in 11 terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, stated, "The government has a policy of zero tolerance against terrorism. The approach of the government is to dismantle the terror ecosystem. Security measures are being strengthened to sustain peace and stability in J&K."

Rai detailed the strategies being adopted and actions taken to contain acts of terror in the Union territory. These include "effective, continuous, and sustained actions against terrorists and their support structures; dismantling of the terror ecosystem using a whole-of-government approach; and cracking down on terror finance, such as the seizure or attachment of properties belonging to terrorists and their associates under relevant sections of the law and banning anti-national organizations."