Army Chief General Bipin Rawat has told his commanders that it was “unacceptable to see growing public interference in anti-militancy operations”. Stressing on complete coordination for anti-militancy operations, Rawat has reportedly told state government that police and paramilitary forces should clear the mobs and allow the Army to carry out their operations.
After the recent ambush at Shopian in South Kashmir, where four Armymen and a woman was killed, Bipin Rawat on Friday said that there should be synergized and coordinated efforts to deal with the growing problem of stone-pelting mobs during shootouts with militants. He also held a high level security review meetings at Army’s counter-insurgency headquarters in Kashmir.
In the past few days, militants managed to escape at Kulgam, Pattan and Bandipora as the stone-pelting mobs clashed with th Army and security forces who were trying to cordon the areas for search operations. Despite a stern warning by the Army Chief that stone-pelters will be treated as anti-nationals, there have been incidents of mobs throwing stones on the search parties, especially on the Army at the shootout sites. Data revealed by J&K police claims that as many as 26 militants have been saved by people in the recent past. Meanwhile, protests have increased in Srinagar and other parts of Valley after the Friday prayers.