SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) on Wednesday blamed Pakistan-based militant group Jaish-e-Mohammad for yesterday’s series of attacks in south Kashmir in which 12 security personnel were injured and four rifles were snatched from the policemen.
After the attacks, security apparatus in the Valley, especially around security camps has been intensified.
“According to our intelligence reports, Jaish-e-Mohammad is responsible for series of attacks on police and paramilitary personnel in south Kashmir yesterday,” DGP S P Vaid said.
Militants launched five attacks on police and paramilitary CRPF personnel in south Kashmir yesterday injuring CRPF men and two policemen. They also snatched four rifles from policemen guarding the residence of retired judge Muzaffar Hussain Attar at Anchidora area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district last evening.
Militant group Hizbul Mujahideen had claimed responsibility for the grenade attack on CRPF camp in a village in Tral in Pulwama district which 10 CRPF men were injured.
However, Vaid said Hizb claim is not true.
“Although Hizbul Mujahedeen has larger presence in south Kashmir but the attacks were the handiwork of Jaish-e-Mohammad,” he said.
Meanwhile, Al Umar Mujahideen chief Mushtaq Ahmad Zargar, who along with Jaish chief Masood Azhar was released in exchange of IA passengers in 1999, called a local newsgathering agency in Srinagar and claimed that the attacks in Tral, Pulwama, Awantipora and recent grenade attack on CRPF in Saraf Kadal area of downtown Srinagar were carried out jointly by Al Umar and Jaish-e-Mohammad.
He warned that the two outfits would carry out more attacks in the coming days.
Security agencies, meanwhile, have increased security and patrolling after series of militant attacks.
“The security personnel have been put on alert and security around camps and sensitive installations has been beefed up,” CRPF spokesman in Srinagar, Rajesh Yadav, told New Indian Express.
He said more security personnel have been deployed around the camps and sensitive installations to maintain vigil and foil any militant attacks.
Yadav said the area domination by security forces has also been increased. “Besides, surprise anti-militancy operations would be carried out”.
The police, CRPF and Army have increased patrolling in sensitive and vulnerable areas in south Kashmir especially along the Srinagar-Jammu highway.
According to security agencies, over 120 militants are active in four districts of south Kashmir – Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian – and majority of the militants are locals.
A police official said after recent attacks and militant presence in south Kashmir, the security personnel have intensified patrolling.
Temporary checkpoints and nakas have been set up at some places, especially on Srinagar-Jammu highway, to prevent militants from attacking security forces vehicles moving on the highway, he said.
The security personnel, he said, were also conducting surprise frisking of vehicles and commuters.
The official said cordon and search operations (CASO), if required, would also be launched to flush out militants.
Meanwhile, militants have released a new video in which militants of Hizbul Mujahideen and Lashkar-e-Toiba can be seen moving in a jungle and wearing their name tags.
In the video, which has apparently been shot in the forests of south Kashmir’s Shopian district, militants are wearing army fatigues and carry AK-47 rifles.
Lashkar commander Abu Ukasha, who is wanted in many attacks by security forces, can also been seen in the video.