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Terror
strikes Valley after year-long lull, two men killed
WSN Network
 Srinagar:
The Kashmir Valley’s seeming calm was shattered on Saturday when
militants struck in the heart of Srinagar after a one-year lull and
in two separate incidents killed two security personnel. The
shootouts also carried the grim reminder that Pakistan-sponsored
terrorism hasn’t disappeared from the Valley — the attack is
suspected to have been carried out by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the
murderous outfit that carried out the 26/11 attacks.
Although
Kashmir
has never really been free of news, protests such as those after the
Sopore and Baramullah crimes, were more political in nature with
civilian groups clashing against the security forces. In fact, some
observers virtually praised the protests as a sign of normalcy.
Saturday’s
shootouts were different — they were cold-blooded terrorist attacks
aimed to kill. The killers carried out the attacks and melted away.
No group has claimed responsibility as yet.
Meanwhile,
India's home minister P Chidambaram has said that the Centre was
working on amendments to the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, as
promised before the elections. He added that the government was
looking at limiting the application of the Act to some areas.
Security and
intelligence officers are likening the nature of Saturday’s attack
in Srinagar to the operational style of LeT.
CRPF
spokesperson Prabhakar Tripathi said the first attack took place
near
Srinagar’s
central
square of Lal Chowk. The attackers fired at a paramilitary patrol
and critically wounded two.
Authorities say
terror activity in the state has fallen to its lowest levels since
India
and Pakistan began a peace process in 2004. Saturday’s attack shows
the terror operatives are dormant, perhaps even weaker than before,
but they have not yet been neutralised. It is estimated that around
600 militants are still there in the state, in fractured groups, and
without full crossborder back-up which they enjoyed until security
forces succeeded to virtually seal the border with electric fencing.
These attacks
may complicate the state and Union governments’ proposal for a
phased reduction of the areas under coverage of the highly unpopular
Armed Forces Special Powers Act which allows security personnel to
search without warrant and call civilians for interrogation.
5
August 2009
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