In touch with families for return of militants: IGP

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 9

In the early 2016, the civil secretariat had shifted from Jammu to Srinagar. New roads were being constructed and old were being macadamised. Then happened the killing of Hizb commander Burhan Wani by security forces on July 8 along with his two associates in south Kashmir — the bastion of J&K’s largest political party PDP. Next day, instead of machines, the roads were filled with people chanting “azadi” slogans.

Legislators of the PDP, mostly from south Kashmir, stopped visiting their constituencies and instead spent their time in Srinagar. An MLA from south Kashmir told The Tribune that he had to pay Rs 2.5 lakh as food bill at the circuit house in Srinagar, where he was hiding along with his workers. It dented the mainstream politics, particularly the once soft-separatist PDP.

Once the bastion of the mainstream politics and home to Kashmir’s lone invincible communist legislator MY Tarigami, south Kashmir became a safe haven for militants and separatists. Nearly 300 local youths joined militant ranks and thousands attended Burhan’s funeral. At least 150 civilians and 350 militants, mostly locals, have been killed in various parts of Kashmir since. At present, 250 militants are active in Kashmir and most of them are locals.

The police admit that after Burhan’s killing, the recruitment of local youths into militant ranks has been a challenge for the security forces. “Recruitment is a challenge but we are in touch with their families to persuade these local boys to return. We have been successful in some cases,” said SP Pani, Inspector General of Police, Kashmir.

Before becoming the Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti used to visit families of slain militants to mourn their deaths and was accused of the bloodshed in Kashmir. The PDP’s popularity graph nosedived and in the process, regional mainstream political parties got discredited.

Burhan became more dangerous after death as predicted by former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. “..Kashmir’s disaffected have got a new icon...Mark my words — Burhan’s ability to recruit into militancy from the grave will far outstrip anything he could have done on social media,” Omar had tweeted after Burhan’s death.

The frisking of pedestrians and cordon and search operations returned to Kashmir. The bypolls for the Srinagar-Budgam LS seat recorded the lowest voter turnout of just 7 per cent. Due to falling security situation, the election to the south Kashmir’s Anantnag Lok Sabha seat, which is vacant since April 4, 2016, could not be held.

Political analysts maintain that Burhan’s death has led to radicalisation and participation of youth in militancy.

“Burhan’s death changed everything. He glamourised militancy resulting into a large number of youths joining militant ranks with public support,” said a senior PDP leader.