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| MHA urges Kashmiris to stay away from encounter sites | | | Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Early Times Report
srinagar, Apr 11: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has asked the people to stay away from encounter sites and not to create obstructions in anti- militancy operations in Kashmir.
Also, the security agencies have been asked to ensure that no harm whatsoever is done to the common masses while carrying out the anti-militancy operations. "It is for the safety of the people that they should avoid their presence at encounter sites, and people are also appealed not to create obstructions in anti-militancy operations," sources quoting MHA said.
Sources said that the army, the central armed police forces and the state police have been asked to avoid civilian killings and carry out anti-militancy operations without any collateral damage.
"Centre and the state governments want to ensure a peaceful summer, as tourism has taken a massive hit in the past two years due to unrest in the Valley," the sources maintained.
However, sources said that the heads of various security agencies have been asked to "deal sternly" with militants. "We need to deal with the militants strictly but there should be no civilian causalities at the encounter sites. A close synergy between forces is a must for ensuring smooth anti-militancy operations," the MHA has said.
Sources however said that the MHA has made it clear that the operation against militants will continue. "MHA is watching the situation very closely and the summer ahead is crucial for the State. Normalcy has to be restored in the Valley at all costs as people have suffered huge losses," sources said.
Sources said "to foil the attempts of interference by youth in anti-militancy operations, security forces have been directed not to give any chance to militants to take advantage of the situation when crowds rush to encounter sites to help them to escape."
The situation in the Kashmir Valley has been fragile since July 8, 2016 when Hizbul commander Burhan Wani and two other militants were killed in an encounter with security forces.
Meanwhile one of the top officials of the Army said that they have already asked police to keep crowds off from encounter sites during gun battles with militants to avoid civilian casualties as they (Army) were not carrying mob control weapons. "Our job is not to deal with the crowd since we are not carrying non-lethal weapons. It is the police and paramilitary forces who are carrying weapons to disperse the mob," an army officer said, wishing not to be quoted.
Since February 2016, the police had cautioned people many times through repeated advisories, asking them to stay away from the encounter sites. Despite that people have been rushing to encounter sites in a bid to help militants to escape.
Police sources said the security agencies have been told to ensure better coordination during encounters. "Police have been told to ensure that people don't come close to encounter sites. If protestors come closer to encounter sites then Army may fire at them like what happened in Kulgam," a police official said.
According to the Home Ministry's data, as many as 64 incidents of 'militant violence' were reported till March 11 in J&K, where two civilians were killed. Last year, 39 militant-related incidents were reported during the same period. In 2016-17, as many as 664 militant-related incidents were reported, whereas in 2015, there were 208 such incidents. |
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