SRINAGAR: A senior CRPF official on Thursday described the situation in Kashmir as under control but fragile.
Army, meanwhile, foiled an infiltration bid along Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector of Kashmir by killing three militants.
“The present situation in Kashmir is under control but fragile,” Inspector General (IG) CRPF Ravideep Singh Sahi told reporters on sidelines of a function organized by CRPF on 78th raising day of the paramilitary force in Srinagar.
The situation in Valley has been tense since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter with security forces on July 8 last year.
Sahi, however, said that there has been a reduction in incidents of stone pelting in the Valley in recent past.
As compared to 2808 stone pelting incidents in 2016, 664 stone pelting incidents were reported in the Valley this year up to July 9.
On militancy, IG CRPF said J&K police, CRPF and army are doing coordinated counter militancy and counter insurgency operations in Valley in a very organized manner.
“We have achieved lot of successes by killing top militants,” he said.
Over 100 militants have been killed in encounter with security forces in Valley this year.
Sahi said on both fronts – law and order and militancy – things in the Valley have improved in last few months.
He complemented public and security forces for improvement in situation in the Valley.
“The combination of social initiatives operations, realisation among people that stone pelting is not fruitful and security forces operations have led to reduction in stone pelting,” he said.
Sahi disclosed that at least 250 militants are active in the entire Valley including south, central and north Kashmir.
“The militant number keeps on fluctuating,” he said.
The IG CRPF said paramilitary personnel were actively involved in many anti-militancy operations in Valley in which 75 militants were killed.
On number of youth joining militancy in Srinagar, he said large number of boys are not joining the militants.
“There have been few reports of young boys from Srinagar joining militancy. But the number is not too much and we are conscious of it. Our efforts and operation to wipe out militancy will continue,” IGP CRPF said.
On measures taken to prevent militant attacks on Amarnath yatris, Sahi said, “Security of yatra was quite adequate. However, it is not possible to sanitsize each and every part of the Valley”.
Terming the militant attack on yatris as very unfortunate, he said there was laxity on part of the pilgrims. “There were not part of a regular Amarnath convoy and were moving when the Road Opening Parties (ROPs) of security forces were withdrawn”.
He said after the July 10 militant attack on yatri vehicle at Botengoo in south Kashmir in which eight yatris were killed, the yatra security has been further strengthened and tightened.
“The security personnel have increased area domination, patrolling and nakas. A coordinated effort is being made to ensure that the remaining part of Amarnath Yatra goes incident free,” he added.
Army foils infiltration bid
Defence spokesman in Srinagar, Colonel Rajesh Kalia, said troops foiled an infiltration bid of militant along the LoC in Bagtore area of Gurez sector of north Kashmir's Bandipora district today by killing three militants.
He said the combing operation in the area was going on when reports last poured in.
There have been 42 infiltration attempts by militants from across the LoC into Jammu and Kashmir upto June-end this year.