Valley intruded by 40 militants; Sopore struck twice by gunmen; Gunfight left a militant dead; JKLF leader held and 2 under house arrest; Violence hits Panchayat polls again
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    • Notwithstanding repeated denials by the Army, security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have reported that nearly 35 to 40 militants have entered the Kashmir Valley but were holed up in higher reaches only “due to extra layer of security by police and para-military forces.” Official reports comprising HUMINT (human intelligence) and TECHINT (technical intelligence) suggest that small groups of six to seven militants mainly belonging to Pakistan-based Lashker-e-Taiba entered the Valley through Kupwara and Gurez sectors and have entrenched themselves in Lolab and Rajwar forests in extreme north Kashmir. While An Army spokesman said the reports of infiltration were “incorrect” and the cordon and search operations in Lolab, Rajwar and Bandipore were sustained operations carried out throughout the winter.1

    In another development, a policeman was killed and a Panchayat election candidate injured when gunmen struck twice in north Kashmir’s Sopore town. The gunmen shot dead the constable who was shot at from point blank range.2 However, a Lashker-e-Taiba militant was killed in an encounter with forces in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district. A joint party of police and forces cordoned off Zaloora village, 60 kms from Baramulla and launched searches. Militants present there opened fire on the search party which was retaliated triggering an encounter in which a militant was killed according to a police official.3

    Reports noted that Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front Chairman Muhammad Yasin Malik was arrested in north Kashmir’s Ganderbal district along with his associates when he was on way to address a public rally in Kangan. The arrest was condemned by the group and termed it as undemocratic and dictatorial step by the Government. Two more separatist leaders Shabir Ahmed Shah and Zaffar Akbar Bhat have been placed under house detention.4

    In other developments, according to reports, violence again hit the Panchayat elections in Jammu region with 28 people, including five policemen, injured in the 10th phase of multi-phased polls. These polls witnessed overall 77.14 percent polling in eleven blocks of the state.5

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