In the wake of four militant attacks in as many days, Jammu Kashmir Director General of Police R R Swain on Thursday accused Pakistan of trying to disturb the peaceful atmosphere through its mercenaries, and asserted that the Indian forces were determined to give a befitting response to the enemy.
He warned the “enemy agents” that they would repent their decision of supporting militancy and said “They have stakes including families, land and jobs unlike Pakistani terrorists who have nothing to lose.”
Militants struck at four places in Reasi, Kathua, and Doda districts over the past four days, killing nine people, including seven pilgrims returning from Shiv Khouri temple, and a CRPF jawan, and left seven security personnel and several others injured.
Two suspected Pakistani militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kathua and a large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from them.
“The starting point (of terrorism in JK) is across the border. The clear intent of the adversary is that if they cannot motivate locals for subversive activities to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in Kashmir, send their own people, Pakistanis, after recruiting them there and forcibly pushing them into this side,” the DGP told reporters in Reasi district.
The police chief was in Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the famous Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, and chaired a high-level meeting to review security in the district, where militants attacked a bus Sunday evening, killing nine and injuring 41.
The meeting, among others, was attended by Reasi Deputy Commissioner, Vishesh Paul Mahajan, Udhampur-Reasi Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Rayees Mohammad Bhat, and Reasi Senior Superintendent of Police Mohita Sharma.
“The enemy agents are doing it (helping foreign terrorists) for money and narcotics. They will be identified and dealt with sternly. We want to warn them that while the (foreign) terrorists will get killed … those who are supporting them will repent,” the police chief said.
He said the foreign militants have nobody to care about, whether they have children or not. “We don’t know whom they are sending here after picking them from jails. Those who are supporting them have land, children and jobs here and they will suffer.”
Swain said Pakistan seeks to use the tough terrain of Jammu and Kashmir by sending foreign terrorists into the forests and to disturb the peaceful atmosphere. “This is the truth.”
He, however, said the security forces are determined and promise-bound to maintain peace and eradicate militancy from Jammu and Kashmir.
“What will be our response? We are ready for the small loss because when a war is thrust upon us and terrorists stand before us to kill or get killed, we utilize all our resources and our effort is to give a befitting response. Since they don’t have anyone to care about, their power to inflict loss appears more,” he said.
He said militancy spread its tentacles to Jammu region especially Doda and Ramban in 1995 but it was completely wiped out by 2005.
“If we are face to face with the same type of challenge, rest assured that we are committed and promise-bound to give them a befitting response and kill them one by one to maintain a peaceful atmosphere,” he said.