J&K: Terrorists on killing spree, want people to lose faith in Indian system

New Delhi, Oct 08: The targeted killing of non-local civilians in Jammu and Kashmir has spread a wave of terror and fear among the people. While the need of the hour is quick action to neutralise these terrorists, security experts that there is a pattern to the killings.

The abrogation of Article 370 was meant to make Jammu and Kashmir inclusive. However with this new wave of killings, it appears as though the terrorists want the people of the Valley to lose faith in the Indian system.

Officials tell OneIndia that the new wave of attacks are on soft targets. Earlier, the terrorists would battle the security forces. However now the common man who is unarmed has become the target.

In the past couple of years, the security forces have taken down big terrorists. In fact the top commanders of the several outfits have been gunned down. This has led to terrorists targeting civilians and with this they are trying to convey a message of fear and also that Kashmir does not belong to non-locals.

Experts say that Delhi must act quickly and not let the situation in J&K replicate Afghanistan. Following the Taliban takeover, the Taliban killed and silenced scores of activists and many-many innocent people.

This was the Taliban's way of instilling fear into the minds of the people.

What one is witnessing in Kashmir today is identical to that scenario. New recruits with pistols are going about killing unarmed people. This has presented an element of surprise and also created an atmosphere of fear.

Union Home Minister, Amit Shah held a five hour meeting on Thursday, following the killing of a Kashmiri Pandit pharmacist, two school teachers and two others.

Shah gave firm instructions to the security agencies and sent counter terrorism experts to Jammu and Kashmir and asked them to give a fitting reply to the terrorists. The head of the Intelligence Bureau's head of the counter terror operations Tapan Deka will go to J&K today and personally take stock of the situation. Several other teams of the national security agencies have already reached J&K and they would assist the Jammu and Kashmir police to put an end to these spate of targeted killings.

The message that the terrorists want to send out is very clear. One they want to install fear in the minds of the people siding with democracy and peace. Secondly, if one looks at the killings there is an attempt to terrorise the non-locals and Hindus living in Jammu and Kashmir.

So far in 2021, 28 civilians have been killed by terrorists. Out of the 28 persons, five belong to the local Hindu and Sikh community. 2 others who lost their lives were non-local Hindu labourers.

The Inspector General of Police, Kashmir said that due to killing of huge number of terrorists of all outfits specially their leaderships, destruction of their support structures and continuous and effective maintenance of law and order, terrorists' handlers across have got frustrated and changed their strategy.

In some cases, OGWs have been found directly involved. The J&K Police is working hard and identifying all such part-time/hybrid terrorists and strictest action shall be taken against them, the IGP said.

We have received several leads and are working on it. We have also been launching operations along with security forces. We appeal to general public specially minority communities not to panic. We have been maintaining peace and secured environment and will continue to do so, the official also said.