A search operation to track down militants in Kulgam district of south Kashmir was today called off after a mob pelted stones on security forces, in first such incident after the Army chief's warning against such disruptions.
Nearly 100 youths started pelting stones on a joint party of Army and police at Tarigam village in Kulgam district after the security forces started a cordon and search operation in the area following information about presence of militants there, a police official said.
Police used tear smoke shells and batons to chase away the mob, the official said, adding the situation was brought under control.
The search operation was later called off with no arrests made, he added.
Army Chief General Bipin Rawat had last week warned of tough action against persons hampering the anti-militancy operations in Kashmir by pelting stones.
"We would now request the local population that people who have picked up arms, and they are the local boys, if they want to continue with the acts of terrorism, displaying flags of ISIS and Pakistan, then we will treat them as anti-national elements and go helter-skelter for them," he had said.
The stern message from Rawat came after three soldiers faced heavy stone-pelting at Parray Mohalla of Bandipore in north Kashmir when they were about to launch an operation against militants holed up there.
Alerted by the stone-pelters, the militants got an opportunity to fire hand grenades and empty a few magazines from AK-rifles into the advancing troopers, leaving three jawans dead and some others, including a Commanding officer of CRPF, injured. One terrorist had managed to flee the area.
However, the army chief's statement on tough action against stone pelters in Kashmir had evoked a mixed response with Union Minister Kiren Rijiju defending him, while the state's main opposition National Conference echoed the separatists in criticising the stand.
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