More terrorists, lesser weapons: How Hizbul is overcoming this

With recruitments into the Hizbul Mujahideen on the rise, they are facing an acute shortage of weapons. Not only do they want more weapons, but also seek to embarrass the security mechanism.

There were three incidents of weapons snatching in Jammu and Kashmir in the past 24 hours. The incidents have caused a great deal of concern for the security agencies. While two incidents were reported at Budgam and Jammu, the third was at Dooru which is part of the Anantnag constituency which goes to polls on April 12.

In all three incidents, the terrorists snatched the rifles from police personnel and fled. In the Jammu incident, one terrorist was arrested while the other managed to flee with an AK-47 rifle.

Intelligence Bureau officials see a pattern and say that this trend has started since July 2016. This was a plan set up by the Hizbul Mujahideen and the same was announced through a video released by the outfit last year.

Officials, while raising concerns over such incidents say that the Hizbul Mujahideen has called for snatching of guns. During the unrest in the Valley, the recruitment of youth into the outfit had gone up threefold.

Officials say that due to the sudden rise in the recruitments, there is a shortage of weapons in the outfit and hence such incidents of weapon snatching are taking place. Such incidents are also planned with a view of embarrassing the security personnel, officials say.

Since July, militants have so far decamped with more than 60 service rifles. The Indian Army has expressed concern and says that it would be working closely with the local police who have been the targets of such incidents.

OneIndia News