12 Jaish militants sneak into J&K

Srinagar: Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir have been put on high alert as terror threat looms large over it following reports that twelve Jasih-e-Muhammad (JeM) militants have sneaked into restive state.

The security officials have said that terrorists who are learnt to have entered Jammu and Kashmir after breaching the Line of Control (LoC) and split in groups of three to four each could be planning large-scale fidayeen and hit and run attacks in the state.

“There is possibility of them striking in a big way. Where exactly they may do it is not known but the security forces have been put on high alert all over the State.  Security forces camps and their other establishments and vital installations are being kept under constant close surveillance,” said a senior police officer. He added that the JeM militants may carry out attacks in coming two to three days.

The security officials are apprehending spike in militant attacks both inside Kashmir Valley and Jammu region of the state during the second half of Ramzan. Last year, they recall, militants had chosen the 17th of Ramzan to carry out multiple attacks, coinciding with  the anniversary of the Battle of Badr fought by Islam’s Prophet against his opponents –the Quraish of Mecca- in March 13, 624 AD.

Meanwhile, militants attacked a ‘bunker’ vehicle of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in southern town of Pulwama on Friday. However, no casualties were reported.

The police and the CRPF officials said that the militants opened fire on the vehicle of the CRPF’s 183 Battalion which was on its way to Idgah area of Pulwama. Subsequently, the security forces during a search operation in the area found three bags believed to be stuffed with improvised explosive devices or IEDs.

Separately, militants hurled a hand grenade towards the ancestral house of ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Mushtaq A Shah in Pulwama’s Tral area on Friday. But the grenade fell and exploded in the lawn of the house and no casualties or damage to the property was reported.

A report from Hajin area of northern Bandipora district said that Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) militants led by a local Saleem Ahmed Parray, on Thursday night appeared in Khosa Mohalla of the town and told the residents that the outfit was not involved in the murder of civilians killed in a series of attacks that took place in the area recently.

“They appeared in the locality and told the residents who were coming out of a mosque after offering Taraveh (special late evening Ramzan prayers) that they are not involved in the murder of Hilal Ahmed Parray or Yakoob Ahmed Wagay,” a local resident said.