The state police force has been turning the pressure on the separatist militants. Today the Kashmir police seems to be a far cry from the days it used to be seen as highly sympathetic to the separatists. The special operations group (SOG) of the local police has been carrying out highly specific action against the separatist militants. On Wednesday the SOG, acting on their own input, killed the Amir-e-Alla (Chief) of the militant conglomerate the Shoura-e-Jehad. The Shoura-e-Jead has nine separatist militant groups in it, including the pro-Pak Hizbul Mujahideen, the Harkat-ul-Ansar, the Laskar-e-Toiba, Al-Umar Mujahideen and the Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen in addition to others.
All the separatist guerrilla actions have been co-ordinated by the Shoura for the one year and the security forces, including the Army, the para-military forces and the task force of the local police, have been doing their best to smash the Shoura network. Interestingly, the operations carried out by the SOG have been noted for their specificity. The collateral damage to civilian life and property is being avoided in their operations.
There are many Pro-government militants who are acting in tendum with the SOG, providing vital information etc. about separatist operations. There is a growing feeling here that vital inputs for the SOG also come from the state intelligence, whose once shattered apparatus has now been fully restored.
Even from the common mans point of view, the local police appears to have come back with a vengeance. The local police stations, virtually non-functional during the last nine years, are making their presence felt today. The impression is fast gaining ground here that the local police is fast on the path of fully asserting itself. This comeback has also provided justification for the impression that without active participation by the local police in anti-insurgency operations, a real dent would not be possible.
