Two militant attacks in Srinagar: After 3 years, is militancy back in the city?

After three years of relative peace in Srinagar, suspected militants shot at and killed three policemen in two separate attacks in the city on Monday.

Cheif Minister of J&K Mahbooba Mufti lays wreath on the coffins of the policemen at control room Srinagar. Unidentified gunmen shot dead two policemen at Zadibal in Srinagar. This is the first such major strike in the city in nearly three years. In the second incident, the suspected militants shot dead another policeman at Tengpora Batamaloo, Srinagarl. Express Photo by Shuaib Masoodi 23-05-2016

Cheif Minister of J&K Mehbooba Mufti lays wreath on the coffins of the policemen at control room Srinagar. Unidentified gunmen shot dead two policemen at Zadibal in Srinagar. (Express Photo by Shuaib Masoodi)

After three years of relative peace in Srinagar, suspected militants shot at and killed three policemen in two separate attacks in the city on Monday. The bullets have not only shattered the calm of Srinagar but have also punctured the police claim that Srinagar is a militant-free city.

For several years, the police have claimed that there were not militants in Srinagar city. This was substantiated by the fact that there had been no incident related to militants in the city since June 2013 – the last time when militants shot dead two policemen in Srinagar.

While there have been a few encounters between the police and militants on the outskirts of the city in the last few years, the police maintain that these attacks were carried out by militant based in other parts of the valley who travelled to Srinagar for the operation before returning to their base.

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However, even this police assumption will worry the security establishment. That militants can enter Srinagar city so easily, target policemen and escape unhurt suggests proper planning of the attacks, which is not possible without local support.

While security officials termed Monday’s twin attacks as a one-off incident, they also fear that it could be the beginning of a new phase of militancy in the city where the last local militant had been killed more than 10 years ago. Officials say that in the past one year, the entire focus of the anti-insurgency grid had shifted to south Kashmir – which has emerged as the new militant capital of Kashmir – and this could have given militants an opportunity to establish a foothold in north and central Kashmir, especially Srinagar.

It would be premature to talk about the fallout of the twin attacks on Srinagar. However, with the army pointing to increasing infiltration this year and south Kashmir already on boil, these attacks assume significance.

The militants also snatched a rifle of one of the policeman killed in the attacks — the other two weren’t carrying weapons. In the past this was their modus operandi: kill policemen to secure their rifles. As militants face a shortage of weapons, rifle snatching is being done to provide arms to the new local recruits which also hints at more youth joining their ranks.

The news is not good for the security agencies.

Bashaarat Masood

Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter. Expertise and Experience Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development. Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor. Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans: Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance. Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population. Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley. Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More