Security forces flag terror threat ahead of Republic Day in J&K

Terrorists from Hizbul Mujahideen and Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) are plotting to strike parts of Jammu and Kashmir in the run-up to the Republic Day celebrations, intelligence inputs revealed—the first since the abrogation of Article 370 and the division of the state into two Union territories.

According to intelligence inputs reviewed by Mint, terrorists have been instructed to carry out grenade and fidayeen (suicide) attacks on or before 26 January in Shopian, Badgam and Pulwama districts of Kashmir, and in Bathindi and Narwar in Jammu, besides the sensitive Sunjwan Army camp, which was attacked by JeM terrorists in February 2018.

The intelligence inputs come days after encounters between security forces and terrorists at Pulwama, Shopian and Awantipora in south Kashmir. The last major terror strike in Kashmir was on 14 February 2019, when 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were killed by a JeM suicide bomber in Pulwama.

According to intelligence inputs, “a joint coordination meeting of eight terrorists including JeM commander Zahid Manzoor, and JeM terrorists Uzair Baba, Zaved Ganai and Yasir Parray, Hizbul terrorist Adil and a foreign terrorist Idrish” was held at Rajpura in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on 30 December, wherein “Parray and his associates have been nominated to carry out fidayeen attacks” on an army camp belonging to the 44 Rashtriya Rifles in Shadimarg and Ahagam in Shopian.

Intelligence agencies have also flagged the movement of “unidentified” terrorists in Badgam district last week, having carried out a reconnaissance exercise of the 43 battalion of the CRPF camp, while Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists Zahid Nazeer Bhat, who hails from Pulwama, is under the scanner for plotting an attack in Jammu’s Bhatindi area, close to the Army’s Sunjwan camp.

“All efforts have been made not just to increase security in all these sites, but checkpoints have been set up and any suspicious activity is being flagged. Accurate intelligence inputs have been received and are being acted upon to avert any mishap,” a central government official said on condition of anonymity.