With security forces diverted to control street protests, militants have begun regrouping.
The alleged rape and murder of two women in Shopian has led to frequent street protests in the town for the past few months. With security forces busy controlling these street clashes, resurgent militant groups have resorted to soft-target killings in the Shopian-Pulwama belt.
Two people were killed on Friday night in Pulwama district. This is the third incident of killing in the last three days in this belt.
According to police, militants barged into the house of Nazir Chopan of Kadipora village of Pulwama district and asked him to accompany them. After walking some yards, they shot him. A few hours later, they killed Mohammad Iqbal Dar at Dangerpora village in a similar fashion. According to police, Dar was a worker of the ruling National Conference party.
According to Kifayat Hyder, senior superintendent of police, Pulwama, Nazir was an associate of the militants for some time. “Nazir was an over ground worker who used to locate hideouts for militants. He was close associate of Saqib, the divisional commander who was killed in Kellar village some time ago,” said Hyder.
Apart from these killings, on December 16, militants had killed 20-year-old Sheeraza in front of her parents in Kellar village Shopian. She was the fourth girl to be killed in Shopian district by militants this year.
A father-son duo and a 60-year-old woman have also fallen prey to the ultras in this area.
Police have identified the militants and the outfit responsible for the killings. “We have identified the two militants and their outfits. We have started an operation and hopefully we shall net them soon”, said Hyder.
Inspector general of Police, Kashmir range, Farooq Ahmad said they have busted a module of the Hizb-ul-Mujhadeen and arrested three militants who had attacked the NC town president in August.
“These three militants revealed that they have been asked to resort to soft target killings,” said Ahmad.
“After the Shopian incident there have been protests and street clashes, and security forces are directed to control the situation. As a result, the counter-insurgency grid has suffered and militants took advantage to regroup. Soft target killing is a direct result of the free run the ultras enjoyed,” said an intelligence officer.
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