A day after the Kathua operation between security forces and militants, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said it is not possible to wipe out militancy in the state without taking the people along.
Omar Abdullah Says Militancy Cannot Be Wiped Out Without Taking The People Along
On efforts to combat militancy, Abdullah said that the issue doesn't fall directly under their jurisdiction and the elected government is working to ensure the situation remains peaceful.
Security forces had a brief exchange of fire with militants hiding in the forests on Sunday evening. The militants later managed to escape under the cover of night. “So far, there has been no contact. The search and cordon is due to some suspicious movement. Now let us see how the situation develops,” Abdullah said to the Indian Express.
“The area being close to the International Border; in all probability, they are likely to have come from there (Pakistan),” he said, adding, “But it is premature to say anything. Let us first see if someone is tracked or not and how the situation develops.”
When asked about the increase in militant activity in the Kathua-Billawar area, he remarked that similar incidents had also been reported from the Rajouri-Poonch districts intermittently.
Regarding efforts to combat militancy, he mentioned that while this issue doesn't fall directly under their jurisdiction, the elected government is working to ensure the situation remains peaceful and under control.
He reiterated that militancy in Jammu and Kashmir cannot be eradicated without involving the people in the process.
Meanwhile, sources said to the Indian Express that security forces have deployed drones to trace the militants, but they have not been sighted so far.
The security forces and the police had jointly launched a massive combing and search operation in the area following reports about the presence of militants in the forests. Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat visited the encounter site on Sunday night and is personally monitoring the operation.
The International Border in Kathua district has emerged as a major infiltration route of militants from Pakistan to the higher reaches of the Kailash tri-junction connecting Udhampur, Doda and Kishtwar districts. This has been evident from the series of attacks in areas of Kathua, Udhampur and Doda districts since last year.
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