Militants Now Targeting Non-Kashmiri Workers freepressjournal.in

It is deeply shocking that suspected militants have shot dead five laborers from West Bengal in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on the day when an unofficial European Union (EU) delegation was visiting the valley to assess the situation after the abrogation of Article 370 three months ago.

That this attack was the sixth in a string of incidents targeting non-residents in south Kashmir and the second in 24 hours, taking the death toll to 11, makes one wonder whether there is a design in targeting non-Kashmiris. Four truckers were part of the earlier casualties.

While deploying a huge force is seemingly unavoidable, the government must also look at strengthening the legal deterrence against militancy. The war against terror has to be relentless and the vigil must be maintained at all costs.

The EU delegation which spent time in the valley saw at first hand what a daunting challenge the security forces were facing in combating terror.