Army to increase presence in Valley

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh was in Kashmir Valley on Friday to review the security situation in the hinterland and along the Line of Control (LoC) with local Army commanders and separately at a meeting with the governor and the DGP.

The visit, the third in past two months, came amid reports that, as part of an expanded role for the Army, hundreds more soldiers are being deployed in rural areas, mainly in South Kashmir districts, which are worst hit in the nine-week-old unrest in the Valley triggered by the killing of Hizb-ul-Mujahideen commander Burhan Muzaffar Wani.

The districts of Kulgam, Anantnag, Shopian and Pulwama — all in south Kashmir — have witnessed widespread protests and clashes during this period and these continue unabated despite tough campaign launched by the security forces against “pro-azadi” crowds which take to the streets on daily basis.

The locals of these districts have alleged that the security forces have during the past few weeks damaged properties and thrashed and tortured youth in repeated raided which are carried out often during night time. The police has denied the charge.

The reports said that the increased presence of the Army in these areas would be to send a signal to the protesters through “area domination” and “‘enhanced patrolling” and also to simultaneously step up patrols against militants who have appeared at few “pro-freedom” rallies in South Kashmir, sometimes armed and, on other occasions, unarmed.

However, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said in Panaji that the increase in deployment of troops is only for sealing the LoC so as to prevent infiltration and not to tackle ongoing protests. “That is for border sealing. We are tightening the border position so that infiltration does not become a reality,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function.

The defence minister said, “Protests are the Home Ministry’s concern. The ministry is taking necessary action. As you have seen, Rajnath (Singh) ji said the situation is much better than earlier. The Army does not act in internal matters unless asked by the local authority. This is the basic norm of operation.”

A defence spokesman here said that the Army Chief visited various military formations and units in South as well as North Kashmir on Friday. He was being accompanied by the Northern Army Commander Lt. Gen. DS Hooda and the Srinagar-based 15 (Chinar) Corps Commander Lt. Gen. Satish Dua. Later at his meetings with them held at the 15 Corps headquarters here, Gen. Singh reviewed the security situation and “collaborative measures” of security forces towards ensuring peace and calm in the Valley. “The (Army) Chief commended all ranks of Chinar Corps for their operational preparedness and commitment to the cause of national security. He directed everyone to ensure strict vigil along the LoC”, the spokesman said.

The spokesman Lt. Col. N.N.Joshi further said that the Army Chief while reinforcing the need to maintain high vigil urged the troops to “sensitise the people especially the youth to eschew violence to usher in peace at the earliest”. “He also appreciated the various humanitarian initiatives by the troops to bring succour to the affected locals due to the ongoing unrest and exhorted them to sustain this positive engagement with the awaam (masses)”, he said.

Gen. Singh who also had a meeting with Governor, N.N. Vohra asked for stepping up the teamwork by various security forces and “synergising” efforts with all other stakeholders to bring about normalcy in the Valley. “He assured all support for bringing in normalcy, particularly in South Kashmir” during his meetings with the Governor and J&K’s DGP, K. Rajendra Kumar.

A Raj Bhavan spokesman said that the meeting between the Governor and the Army Chief was also attended by Lt. Gen. Hooda and Lt. Gen. Dua. “During their hour long meeting, the Governor and the Army Chief discussed the external security situation and issues relating to effective internal security management. They also discussed the varied opportunities which need to be provided to the youth for assuring stable and bright future for them,” the spokesman said.

Meanwhile, curfew was re-imposed on Friday in many parts of Kashmir Valley as the unrest is unabated and in view of an appeal issued by an alliance of key separatist leaders asking people to hold protests and sit-ins. While 14 police station areas of Srinagar remain under curfew, the towns of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Pampore, Awantipora, Tral, Baramulla, Pattan and Palhallan too were brought under restrictions from dawn on Friday. The weekly congregations at major Valley mosques including Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid could not be held on the ninth Friday because of curfew. Justifying the reimposition of curfew, Kashmir’s Divisional Commissioner, Baseer Khan, said, “Keeping in view the violence and stone pelting incidents of the previous Fridays, curfew was imposed in 12 Police Stations of Srinagar, towns of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Awantipora and Baramulla today”

Also as a result of curfews and separatist-called shutdowns, life remained hit for the 63rd consecutive day in the Valley. In fresh clashes reported from a few areas of Srinagar including Hazratbal and at various places in Baramulla, Pulwama and Bandipore districts more than two dozen people were injured, police sources said. Residents of Pulwama’s Bathnoor and Armulla villages alleged that the security forces descended on these and ransacked houses and beat up inmates.

A police spokesman here said that 31 incidents of stone pelting were reported from Srinagar, Budgam, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Baramulla, Sopore, Bandipora and Handwara.