• News
  • India News
  • ‘Number of home-grown J&K terrorists has fallen by half’
This story is from October 24, 2022

‘Number of home-grown J&K terrorists has fallen by half’

‘Number of home-grown J&K terrorists has fallen by half’
Picture for representational purpose only.
NEW DELHI: In what is seen by the security establishment as a fall in traction of terror outfits among local Kashmiris, the number of local terrorists active in J&K has fallen by half with fresh local recruitment hitting a new low this year. Reversing the trend of past several years, the total number of active foreign terrorists in J&K, 83 as per the latest assessment, has overtaken the count of active local terrorists, now 54, by a wide margin.
1x1 polls
While foreign terrorists are being “suitably tackled” by strengthening the border grid to detect and foil infiltration attempts and undertaking sustained intelligence-based operations in the hinterland, it is the ‘hybrid terrorists’ that have emerged as the top concern of the security agencies. Local trouble makers, usually without any police record, are supplied pistols by the terror handlers to carry out one-off attacks against civilians, particularly from the minority communities, and return to their normal daily routine.
A senior J&K government official said local recruitment in J&K has witnessed a discernible dip this year. Also, regular and proactive operations have seen 121 local terrorists killed so far this year, as against 47 foreign terrorists. As a consequence, the number of active Kashmiri terrorists in the Valley have dipped to 54 at present. In fact, as per comparative figures available until September 30 this year, the number of active local terrorists in J&K was down to 61 from 111 till the same period last year. Among the 61 ‘active’ local terrorists, only 27 are affiliated with the Hizbul Mujahideen, traditionally the largest indigenous terror outfit in J&K.
Explaining the possible factors behind the fall in local terror recruitment, J&K govt sources said that online activity, largely stemming from Pakistan and aimed at glorifying local Kashmiri terrorists by posting their pictures with arms on social media, has been curbed, taking away the “glamour” of joining a terror outfit. Thanks to sustained anti-terror actions, local terrorists have a very short lifespan; some are killed in encounters within days of joining terror ranks and others. Also, disincentives against facilitating terror – like attachment of property of terrorists and terror sympathisers who are also kept out of consideration for government jobs and issue of government IDs like passport, has made the people wary of either joining a terror outfit or sheltering or offering logistical help to terrorists.
“Between 1996 and 2022, IED blasts have gone down by 98.8%, weapons snatching incidents by 90.5%, and killing of civilians in law and order situations by 98.4%. No stone-pelting incidents were reported in the last 3 years. Jamaat e Islami has been banned under UAPA and the influence of Hizbul Mujahideen is waning. Political support to terror outfits and subversive activities is no longer there and calls of secessionists for hartals are now rejected by people,” said a J&K government officer.
J&K government sources revealed that "hybrid terrorists" are also being tackled through reorientation of the UT police and making them more focused on law and order duties rather than chasing only marked terrorists. Special cells are being set up at the police station level to track local youths involved in petty crimes and the usual trouble makers, monitor them on a regular basis and, where needed, also detain them.

Sources said there has been the crackdown on hybrid terrorist network in the recent months had brought good successes in Srinagar, Baramulla and Ganderbal etc. “There have been some arrests that have helped trace the other links in the chain. We have tracked pistol suppliers and with their help, handlers too,” said an officer.
While foreign terrorists – mostly active in south Kashmir -- remain a concern as they are highly-trained and committed, a senior officer of the security establishment said the fall in local terror component will eventually make it difficult for them to get logistical help and local resources crucial to carrying out big terror attacks.
author
About the Author
Bharti Jain

Bharti Jain is senior editor with The Times of India, New Delhi. She has been writing on security matters since 1996. Having covered the Union home ministry, security agencies, Election Commission and the ‘prime’ political beat, the Congress, for The Economic Times all these years, she moved to TOI in August 2012. Her repertoire of news stories delves into the whole gamut of issues related to terrorism and internal strife, besides probing strategic affairs in India’s neighbourhood.

End of Article
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA