The Tribune...Jammu and Kashmir

J A M M U C&C K A S H M I R

Monday, July 20, 1998

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More Central forces
for J&K
Tribune News Service
JAMMU, July 19 — As a result of the recent discussion in Delhi between the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, and the Union Home Minister, Mr L.K. Advani, the Centre has agreed to dispatch at least two additional brigades of security forces for

20 killed in J&K, Colonel succumbs to injuries
(Home page)

launching combing operations in the troubled areas of Doda and Udhampur districts of the Jammu region.
The Defence Ministry and the Union Home Ministry had made it clear to the state team, headed by Dr Abdullah, that unless a specific request was made for the deployment of additional companies of security forces, the Centre could not take a decision in this regard on its own as the four troubled districts in the Jammu region were not disturbed areas.
The Chief Minister and his team made a formal request and the Centre agreed to sent two brigades of security forces. The state team made it clear to the Centre that there was an urgent need to launch an offensive against the militants, especially foreign mercenaries, who had established hideouts on the Alpine forest belt between Doda to Poonch. These hideouts had to be demolished and once the militants were tamed in Udhampur and Doda it could ensure peace in South Kashmir areas of Anantnag and Pulwama districts.
The state government had demanded the deployment of at least five brigades to security forces which include the Rashtriya Rifles, the BSF and the CRPF but the Centre agreed to send only two brigades as it needed forces in other states.

The Centre, however, did not agree to make available assault rifles for members of the village defence committees (VDCs) who have been doing a fine job of containing the activities of the militants in Doda and Udhampur districts. Instead it agreed to transfer on loan 5000 .303 guns and 1.50 lakh rounds of ammunition. The agencies concerned have been sorting out these guns from the Bahdurgarh fort in Patiala in Punjab in order to collect weapons. So far 1,000 .303 guns have reached Jammu.
The Central experts argued with the state team that since the range of .303 guns was longer than the AK-47, these weapons could prove more effective than the assault rifles. It was stated that the members of the VDCs were not to kill large groups of people and for them .303 guns were suitable. This was contested by state experts on the plea that it was a cumbersome and a time-consuming process in firing, loading and reloading a .303 gun. The VDC members needed better weapons to fight militants, who were equipped with sophisticated weapons.
Ultimately the state government made a strong plea for the supply of 10,000 self-loading rifles. The Centre agreed but the state authorities were in for a shock when they were asked to deposit Rs 20 crore for getting the supply of 8,000 SLRs from Jabalpore. The state government has requested the Centre to fill the gap by paying Rs 20 crore as the state was already faced with an unprecedented cash crunch during the past six months.
Official sources in Jammu said the situation in Dada, Udhampur, Poonch and Rajouri had assumed alarming dimensions with militants having stepped up gun and grenade attacks on the security forces and on VDC members. In Doda, VDC members have repulsed major attacks by militants at seven places during the past 10 days. Put together the security forces, including the Army and the police, have lost 15 personnel in the encounters with militants.
In the morning today, a BSF jawan was killed and two others were wounded in an encounter with militants at Manjakote in Rajouri district. Though the BSF killed two militants but the insurgents have exhibited their capacity to launch quick attacks on the security pickets or convoys.
Sources said that any further delay in the deployment of additional companies of security forces and in equipping the VDC members with better arms could create an ugly situation in these four districts, where people have been gripped by panic.
Sources say a new strategy is called for under which the security forces will have to carry out operations against the militants and not wait for them to strike against the police or paramilitary forces. In addition, each operation should be carried out in collaboration with VDC members.