Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Amid claims over “waning” militancy in Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370, the year 2022 saw a spurt in target killings in the valley which is emerging as a new challenge for the security forces. The Centre as well as the LG Manoj Sinha have made several statements of late that militancy in the valley is on the verge of elimination.
While official data corroborate the claim, target killings have emerged as a new headache for the J&K administration and the security forces. According to Jammu and Kashmir Police data, 468 incidents of militancy were reported in the region since August 5, 2019, in which 118 civilians, 135 security forces personnel and 638 militants were killed.
The highest number of deaths (321) occurred in 2020 when 232 militants were killed by the security forces, 33 civilians and 56 security forces personnel were also killed. In 2022, a total of 147 incidents of militancy have taken place in the region till the end of November in which 30 civilians, as many security forces personnel and 186 militants have been killed.
June was the bloodiest month of the year with 40 killings- three civilians, two security forces personnel and 35 militants. The lowest number of deaths (8) were be recorded in July, in which five militants and three security forces personnel were killed. As for target killings, according to the data, this year, 19 cases of target killings, including 10 Muslims, six non-Kashmiri and three Kashmiri Pandits have been reported so far.
The first targeted killing of the year took place on March 2 when Panch, identified as Muhammad Yaqub Dar, was killed after being fired upon by a militants in south Kashmir's Kulgam. He was rushed to the hospital, where he was declared dead. On March 9, a Sarpanch Sameer Ahmed Bhat was shot dead by militants on the outskirts of Srinagar.
On 11th of March, Sarpanch Shabbir Ahmad Mir belonging to Adora of Kulgam district was shot dead by suspected militants. On March 21, a civilian, Tajamul Mohiuddin Rather, was shot dead by suspected militants in Gotpura area of Budgam district. Subsequently, on March 26, militants shot dead Special Police Officer (SPO) Ishfaq Ahmad Dar and his brother Umar Ahmad in Budgam district.
The killings continued and on April 4, a Kashmiri Pandit Bal Krishna, a shopkeeper, was shot dead by militants outside his residence. On April 13, suspected militants shot dead a civilian, Satish Kumar Singh, outside his house in Kulgam district. Singh worked as a driver and belonged to the Rajput community from Punjab who had settled in the border area of Kulgam and Shopian about 70 years ago.
On April 15, militants shot dead Sarpanch Manzoor Ahmed Bangroo in an orchard in Baramulla district. He was the third sarpanch to die this year. The series of target killings continued in the month of May. A total of five deaths occurred in May, including that of Kashmiri Pandit Rahul Bhat and TV actress Ambreen Bhat.
On May 12, government employee Rahul Bhatt was shot dead by militants inside his office in Budgam district. He got a job as a clerk under the special employment package for migrants in 2010-11. On the same day, police constable Riaz Ahmed Thokar was shot dead by militants at his home in Pulwama. On May 17, Ranjit Singh, who was working as a salesman at a newly opened liquor store in Baramulla, was killed in a grenade attack.
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On May 25, in Budgam district, a television artist Ambreen Bhat, was killed and her 10-year-old nephew injured when suspected militants barged into her house and opened fire in Budgam. On May 31, in another incident of targeted attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, militants shot dead a Hindu school teacher in Kulgam district.
Rajini Bala, 36, a native of Samba in Jammu region, was posted as a teacher in Gopalpura area of Kulgam. On June 1, a bank manager at Ellaquai Dehati Bank Vijay Kumar from Rajasthan was shot dead by suspected militants in Kulgam district. On June 22, a police inspector, identified as Pervez Ahmed Dar, was shot dead by two unidentified militants.
He was on his way to offer prayers at Menganvaji Naugam area of Srinagar. A migrant laborer from Bihar was shot dead by militants on August 11 in Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir. On August 16, militants shot dead Sunil Kumar Bhat in Shopian and his relative Patambar Nath Butt was injured in the attack.
The last target killing of the year took place on October 15 when Puran Krishna Bhat was shot dead by Bihar militants at his home in Shopian. Besides civilians, journalists also faced online threats from alleged militants, in view of which at least five journalists resigned from their organizations. The police have been investigating the matter.
A senior police officer told ETV Bharat that militancy incidents have decreased while the militants behind target killings have been killed during the separate encounters. “The investigation into the journalists online threat case is still going on," he said. "Most of the target killings were carried out by hybrid militants.
You see, no target killings have taken place since October. We request parents to keep an eye on their children and prevent them from going astray," added the officer.
