The trend of surrendered militants rejoining the ranks of the secessionists has started reversing, General-Officer-Commanding (GOC) of the Eight Mountain Division, Major General J B S Yadava, has said.
In an interview to Business Standard, Yadava said that during the last fortnight, as many as 24 surrendered militants who had run away have come back along with their weapons.
Giving details, the GOC said, We had reports that around 36 surrendered militants had been missing. They had rejoined the secessionist ranks, according to the available information. But, timely action by troops built up enough pressure forcing 24 of them to come back.
Significantly, the division is an elite anti-insurgency unit of the Indian Army, deployed exclusively for fighting insurgency in the Kashmir Valley.
This division draws upon the experience of many officers who have fought insurgents in other parts of the country.
While accepting that militancy-related incidents have registered an increase of late, the division commander did not agree that there has been any actual increase in the number of secessionists operating in the Valley.
All the same, the recent incidents of mine blasts planted in three-wheelers at sensitive and super-sensitive locations have been worrying the army even though the routine security inside Srinagar city continues to be manned by the para-military forces and the local police.
But, despite the armys optimism, the ability of the secessionists to penetrate the security rings has come as a shock to the administration.
It has also resulted in regenerating a typical fear psychosis among the locals. There has been a decrease in the number of people on the citys streets after 15 civilians lost their lives from explosions engineered by the militants at busy market places.
Fewer people are seen these days on city roads and an abandoned autorikshaw or any other vehicle is enough to make people clear out. Even an otherwise harmless polythene bag on the road can now cause the police to divert traffic.
