Kashmir valley is all set to see the reinduction of the Border Security Force (BSF) in towns, increased footprint of the CRPF in the capital and scores of “surprise checkpoints” across the city to contain the growing targeted attacks on civilians by militants, especially the members of the minority community.
The fresh security augmentation road map comes as the preliminary police investigation suggested that the Monday civilian killing of a salesman in Srinagar’s Bohri Kadal was “actually an attack on its Pandit owner who has been frequenting the shop”.
“Militants opened fire upon the Muslim salesman when he was about to drive his Pandit owner’s car from the market after the sunset. The police are investigating if the militants were expecting the owner to drive the car from the spot,” police sources said.
The Pandit owner reopened the spice shop after 29 years in 2019, in what was seen as an indicator of the return of Kashmiri migrants to the valley. In fact, the Pandit owner’s father was attacked in the 1990s, but survived four bullet wounds and shifted to New Delhi.
J&K Lieutenant Governor on Monday chaired a security review meeting in Jammu. It was attended by all top officers of the police’s multiple wings and the CRPF.
Sources said five additional CRPF companies, in addition to 25 companies (2,500 personnel) inducted earlier this month, would be deployed in Srinagar. Besides, 55 Central Armed Police Forces companies would also help man important installations.
Sources said the process of reinduction of 25 BSF companies had started in towns in south Kashmir. This would be the first time since the 1990s that the BSF would be posted in towns to man installations and offices.
The police have been asked to step up frisking of commuters and setting up surprise checkpoints in the city to break the movement of attackers. Police sources said checkpoints have been set up across the city that keep a vigil after the sundown in the city at key points.
Twelve civilians, including members of the minorities, were killed by militants in the past two months. In the past 24 hours, militants killed a policeman and a salesman in the city.
Parties condemn killings
National Conference president and Member Parliament Dr. Farooq Abdullah and party vice president Omar Abdullah, in a joint statement, condemned the killings.
“Violence in any form is unacceptable and intolerable in any emancipated society. It only leads a trail of devastation behind,” Dr. Abdullah said.
Mr. Omar Abdullah said, “The spurt in the incidents of targeted killings also raises a big question mark on the security scenario in Kashmir, particularly in Srinagar city. The perpetrators, who have committed this heinous act, have no religion. No religion condones violence. Nothing justifies such bloodshed,” he stated.
Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti commented that the security situation had deteriorated to an extent where ‘not a week goes by when an innocent doesn’t lose his life’.
“Unfortunate that despite repressive measures taken in name of security, people are being killed and have no sense of dignity or normalcy,” she observed.
Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Lone said, “May the killers rot in hell.”
