CRPF Internal Assessment Warns Of Fresh Anger In Kashmir Valley, If Lock Down Continues hwnews.in

The Central Reserve Police Force, the lead force deployed for maintaining law and order in Jammu and Kashmir, has pronounced in an internal assessment that a prolonged lockdown in the valley may give troublemakers a fresh chance “to start a new wave of protests and armed struggle”.

The paramilitary force has also express the concern about its troops staying in temporary camps that may be “vulnerable” to terror attacks. It is also worried that the extended deployment of so many troops in the valley can make them “complacent”.

Putting spotlight on intelligence input, CRPF has warned that terror outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba and Hizbul Mujahideen recently held a meeting at an undisclosed location in Pulwama where it was decided that JeM will target security forces on highways, LeT will carry out attacks on interior security installations, and HM carry out police/political killings.

About seven additional battalions were sent to Jammu and Kashmir by the government in August to assist the existing 61 battalions of CRPF and local police in maintaining law and order and conducting counter insurgency operations. On August 5 and 6, Parliament passed resolutions and a law bifurcating Jammu & Kashmir into two union territories and scrapping the special status of the erstwhile state. Since then, the state has been under partial lockdown, under a heavy security blanket. The government has not said when these troops will be withdrawn.

The CRPF’s internal assessment, states: “So far, the overall security situation has witnessed no major militant attacks despite a spike in infiltration and movement of militants in the hinterland. Prolonged lockdown may give a chance for a new wave of protests and armed struggle to start again. Terrorists and OGWs may carry out reconnaissance and fine-tuning of possible targets to start spectacular attacks at later stage at the behest of Pakistan, desperately trying to get international support on Kashmir”.