Encounters and militancy-related violence have increased in Kashmir after the February 15 ceasefire agreement between Indian and Pakistan along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu Kashmir.
Two encounters had taken place between militants and security forces from January 1 to February 15. However, in over a month since the ceasefire agreement was signed, the number of encounters has increased to at least eight.
While three militants were killed in the two encounters before February 15, a total of 16 militants including two top commander of Al Badar Khwaja Gani and Jaish top commander Sajjad Afghani have been killed in the eight encounters post the ceasefire truce.
Indian Army’s Northern Command chief Lt Gen Y K Joshi has said the border ceasefire agreement with Pakistan will be strictly adhered to by the Indian Army but the counter-militancy operations in Jammu Kashmir would continue.
After the border ceasefire pact, militants have carried out two attacks on security forces in Srinagar, killing two policemen and two CRPF jawans.
Besides, the son of a non-Kashmiri dhaba owner was also killed by militants in Srinagar. While only one security man died in militancy violence from January1 to February 15, six security men have been killed in militancy-related violence after the ceasefire pact.