Pakistani terrorists targeting Kashmiri locals to evoke fear in Valley: Defence spokesperson after attack on Army convoy

The Defence spokesperson in Srinagar said that the terrorists “targeted an Army column in general area Butapathri, Baramulla on October 24, which was carrying soldiers and local porters. On being fired upon, the alert troops swiftly and resolutely retaliated the fire, forcing the terrorists to retreat, leaving behind a weapon and rucksack”. The spokesperson added that the attackers managed to escape into dense foliage, “exploiting a nala and fading light”.

While searches in the area continued on Friday, the Army said that the action of the deceased soldiers prevented any further damage.

“It is evident that Pakistani terrorists are, deliberately and unregretfully, targeting Kashmiri locals to evoke fear and terror in the Valley, which is progressing towards peace and stability. The only ideology these terrorists espouse is of ‘The Reign of Terror in Valley’,” the defence spokesperson said in a statement.

The two Army soldiers killed were identified as Rifleman Kaisar Ahmad Shah and Rifleman Jeevan Singh. The two porters were Mushtaq Choudhary and Zahoor Ahmad Mir. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday paid tribute to the four.

Late on Thursday, the L-G held talks with top officers of the Army, the J&K Police, and the UT administration, and called for a “swift and befitting reply to neutralise terrorists”. He also directed the Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla to provide all possible assistance to the families of the Army porters killed in the attack.

Meanwhile, roads leading up to the Bota Pathri area where the attack took place, approximately five kilometres ahead of Gulmarg town, remained closed for traffic.

The L-G had on Wednesday held a meeting at Raj Bhawan to review the security situation in the Kashmir Division in the aftermath of the recent spate of attacks targeting non-local workers in the Valley. DGP Nalin Prabhat and Principal Secretary, Home Department, Chandraker Bharti were among those present. On Thursday, he also chaired the Unified Command meeting, in which officials of all security forces were present.

According to Raj Bhawan, Sinha asked J&K Police to ensure “stringent measures” to tighten the security grid around key infrastructure projects and construction camps for the safety of workers. He also stressed on the establishment of mechanisms for regular coordination meetings with project-implementing agencies.

This comes after seven employees of an infrastructure company were killed in a terror attack on a camp housing workers near Sonamarg, on the Srinagar-Leh national highway, on Sunday.

The L-G also directed the police to conduct security audits of infrastructure projects, round-the-clock checkpoints at strategic locations, night patrolling, and area domination operations. He said the police must ensure a robust security and intelligence grid as well as intensified, well-planned joint operations with the Army and other security agencies to eliminate terrorism.

“The entire terror ecosystem, including perpetrators and those aiding and abetting terrorists, requires to be completely dismantled,” Sinha said.