Complacency costs us

The terrorist attack on the CRPF camp in the heart of Srinagar where nine CRPF jawans were killed by one lone teenager terrorist smacks of nothing but complacency and ineptitude by our premier central police organisation. This comes within almost a week after the militants shot down five CRPF jawans reportedly watching a television broadcast of the India-Pakistan cricket match. The garrison was part of the company level force housed in a hotel requisitioned on the Dal Lake. One would have imagined that security alertness would have been heightened after the first attack. Terrorist attacks in J&K have continued in spite of promises made from across the border. But what is of additional concern is the public display of laxness by the security forces to defend themselves. This, in turn, reduces the faith of the general public in the ability of the armed police forces to provide the necessary security to citizens.

The two incidents clearly reinforce the long held impression that our central police forces are incompetent, unwilling or unable to cope with the terrorist challenge of the times. It is possible that the senior leadership has also acquired a level of complacency since the top field leaders of the jihadi groups are supposed to have been eliminated in recent months. But that would be a grave mistake since the terrorists, by the very nature of things, retain the initiative to strike at a place and time of their choosing. While we address the issues that give rise to alienation of the general population so that terrorists are denied any local support, we also need to ensure that our security forces are able to not only provide security but also instil a high level of confidence that they are indeed capable and willing to provide the security necessary for the restoration of normalcy and peace.

Towards this end any action taken by the Pakistani leadership should be seen as a bonus rather than the basis of overcoming terrorism. The last two incidents should make the governments in Srinagar and New Delhi give serious attention to the situation rather than keep treating each incident as a unique event. The terrorists seem to be now pursuing a five-point strategy: target security forces, especially the central police forces, try and strike VIP/political leaders, shift the locus of terrorist groups to within J&K state, and create a communal divide. Competent action by security forces, especially the CRPF, is critical in defeating that strategy. There is no room for complacency — neither in J&K, nor in the Northeast. Internal security remains a concern and the police must show themselves capable of meeting the challenge.