SRINAGAR: Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed surge in encounters between militants and security forces and decline in security forces killing in militancy violence this year as compared to the same period last year.
According to the statistics, Srinagar has witnessed eight encounters between militants and security forces from January 1 to April 10 this year. In these encounters 15 militants including six Pakistani nationals were killed.
The latest encounter in Srinagar took place on April 10 at Bishembernagar in uptown city in which two Pakistani militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba were killed. As per the statistics, no encounter had taken place in Srinagar during the same period last year.
While this year there has been a surge in encounters in Srinagar, the killing of security personnel in the militant violence in summer capital has dropped this year. A policeman and a paramilitary CRPF jawan were killed in two militant attacks in Srinagar this year.
The statistics reveal that six security men including three paramilitary CRPF personnel and three policemen were killed in three different militant attacks in Srinagar last year till April 10. There were two civilian killings in Srinagar this year. Two civilian casualties had also taken place from January 1-April 10 last year.
A PDP sarpanch was shot dead by militants and girl was killed in a grenade attack in Srinagar this year while two non-Muslim businessmen (a jeweller and son of Dhaba owner) were shot dead by militants in targeted attacks in Srinagar last year during the same period. SSP Srinagar Rakesh Balwal told TNIE that police is very active and going after the militants.
He said in all the encounters that have taken place in Srinagar this year, operations were launched on intelligence generated by police. “These were very short and swift operations without any collateral damage”.
“Our intelligence network including human intelligence and technical intelligence has improved a lot,” he said. The SSP said militants want to turn Srinagar into their hub but police will not allow it. “J&K police is very active and as and when militants come in Srinagar, they will either be killed or arrested”. “We will not spare them and will go after them,” he added.