The sudden rise in drone sightings in Jammu and Punjab, the presence of almost double the number of Foreign Terrorists (FTs), and three civilian killings in a span of three days in J&K has brought back memories of a bloody October 2021 and become a pain in the neck for security forces as well as Intelligence agencies.
The data compiled by different forces and J&K Police has revealed how terror outfits are using all their might to disturb the law and order situation.
Terror outfits seem to have adopted a multi-dimensional approach. While some are sending more drones to supply arms, ammunition, and drugs, terrorists in J&K are targeting civilians.
There has also been an influx of FTs — last year, security forces eliminated 20 FTs in J&K, while this year, till September, 44 have been eliminated. In an effort to nip in the bud their nefarious designs, security forces are eliminating or arresting terrorists within a few days, including those who killed two non-locals on Tuesday.
An alert was sent to all agencies concerned in the last week of September regarding the challenges in the month of October, which marks the beginning of the festival season.
According to the alert, all forces were asked to keep their eyes peeled for expected target killings and stand-off attacks on them.
3 Civilians Killed in 3 Days
In the last 72 hours, terrorists have killed a Kashmiri Pandit and two non-local workers. While the Kashmiri Pandit was shot dead, the labourers were killed as terrorists lobbed a grenade at them in Herman village of Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian in the early hours of Tuesday.
Deputy Inspector General of Police Sujit Kumar said the Kashmir Freedom Fighter (KFF) group, the proxy name of a militant outfit, claimed responsibility for the attacks, which have triggered a backlash from the Kashmiri Pandits.
“Last year, J&K recorded 13 civilian killings in October, which have come down drastically this year. We noticed that last year, North Kashmir recorded the maximum killings but this year, South Kashmir is witnessing more targeted attacks. Forces have been eliminating terrorists involved in these incidents within a few days,” a senior government official told News18.
Rise in number of Foreign Terrorists (FTs)
Another big worry for the forces is the increased number of Foreign Terrorists (FTs). According to the data, the total number of FTs this year — including active and killed in encounters — is more than 128. Last year, according to the J&K Police, 20 FTs were killed throughout the year.
Officials claim FTs are more dangerous as they are well-trained compared to local terrorists.
Sources said in the latest meeting held by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the issue of a massive increase in FTs was also raised.
The latest data shows that of the 128 Foreign Terrorists, till August, forces had eliminated 44 while 84 are still active.
Meanwhile, of the total 167 local terrorists estimated to be in J&K, 110 have been eliminated while 57 are still active in the Valley.
More drones
To give weapons and logistical support, terror outfits have increased the usage of drones. While many of these have been shot down or noticed by security forces, several have gone unnoticed.
Official data reveals that the Border Security Force (BSF) noticed the movement of drones 206 times in Jammu (20) and Punjab (186) till the second week of October — a jump of almost 100 per cent.
Data reveals that BSF has noticed or shot down 230 drones till October 15 this year. In the last two years, the total number of drones sighted was 188.
It has also come to the fore that Jammu remains the favourite route for the supply of arms, ammunition, and grenades, while Punjab is being explored majorly for drugs.
October 2021, the bloodiest so far
Last year, October saw the highest number of killings in J&K — 45, including 13 civilians. Data revealed that 20 terrorists were eliminated, while 12 jawans lost their lives in the same month.
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