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Journalism of Courage
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was here for a two-day roundtable on Kashmir, there were serious reasons for the security forces being on tenterhooks.
Intelligence inputs had warned that militants could have smuggled in a missile with an 8 km range. Also that they had planned for car bombings, projectile attacks on the venue, grenade attacks across the city, and the elimination of a “moderate second-rung Hurriyat leader.”
Although Inspector-General (Kashmir range) S.M. Sahai said “it was extremely difficult” to bring missile paraphernalia into the city because of their “substantial size”, sources revealed that the security agencies had taken the threat very seriously.
They said radio intercepts clearly indicated that a shoulder-fired missile had been brought from Kupwara and that the militants planned to fire it from Dara heights, north-east of the city. In fact, the army had recovered a missile from Kupwara in February.
Part of intercept said “jab chadia udaygi” (when the sparrow flies), referring to a helicopter.
The other major worry for security agencies was information that militants had planned for three suicide bombers to set off car bombs at important installations or anywhere in the city. Sources said that among the targets were the technical airport, the airport, or a suitable point on the road from the airport to the Rajbagh locality.
“Our men did stop one of these cars in Hyderpora,” Sahai said.
It is learnt that round-the-clock vigil and checks at all entry and exit points had prevented militants from loading two Sumo vans with explosives.
Sources said there was an intercept of constant communication from Hizb commander Riyaz Lone, saying the group had procured two vehicles and fitted them with explosives for hitting security installations located between Kulgam and Srinagar.
Police had also received information about militant plans to try and fire projectiles towards the roundtable venue.
Sources reveal that a group of militants led by Qasim Bhayee of Al-Badr, who is active northeast of Srinagar, had been moving around in the Chaterhama, Malbag, Bagh-e-shore areas.
Another group is believed to have been hiding in the Hakka Bazaar area, aiming to fire at the roundtable meeting venue.
There was also information that commanders of Hizb and Lashkar from Budgam and Srinagar had met in Hushroo Panzan village to plan grenade and bomb attacks in the Lal Chowk and Narbal areas of the city.
Security agencies said wireless communication among militants had gone up before the roundtable and there were serious plans to disrupt it.
Acting on intelligence inputs, the police had made elaborate security arrangements in co-ordination with the CRPF, BSF, and army. Srinagar had been divided into 15 zones and 40 sectors and almost the entire force was pulled in for securing the city. Areas surrounding the city, such as Zabarwan and Dara Hills were also secured.
