Detail Of Terrorism Update

In an encounter that occurred at Branel Lamar in the Kulgam area on August 12, one unidentified terrorist and a civilian were killed. In a separate encounter at Dhanau Kandimarg in the Anantnag district, two terrorists were killed. A Hizb-ul-Mujahideen (HM) terrorist was killed and two SF personnel were injured during an encounter at Kokernag in the Anantnag district. However, at least two of his associates managed to escape.

Meanwhile, a police personnel was killed during an encounter with the terrorists at village Ind in the Gool area of Udhampur district.

Further, a civilian, resident of Budhan in Ramban was reportedly abducted by unidentified terrorists and later killed. In south Kashmir, three security force personnel were injured as unidentified terrorists lobbed a hand grenade towards their unit in Pulwama town.

Security forces reportedly recovered 16 hand grenades, one silencer-fitted pistol, one wireless set, 11 UBGL grenades, 30 Kilograms of RDX and two Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) from a terrorist hideout at Wangam in the Shopian area of Pulwama district.

Separately, security agencies have ascertained a nexus between terrorists based in the border district of Poonch and a religious organisation of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, which had allegedly been sending a number of Gujarati youths for arms training in Pakistan through the Poonch sector. Two members of the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), who were reportedly part of the network, have been arrested in this connection. They have reportedly revealed that at least two dozen terrorists from different parts of Ahmedabad had crossed over to Pakistan for arms training through the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch sector during the last six months.

A group of approximately 150 armed cadres of the outlawed left-wing extremist Purba Bangla Communist Party (PBCP) allegedly killed two brothers in Alamdanga subdivision of the Chuadanga district on August 11. The PBCP cadres later also set their house ablaze and escaped from the incident site. A suspect was subsequently arrested in this connection.

In a separate incident, 12 bombs were recovered from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP’s) Daulatpur subdivision vice president’s residence on August 11.

Acting on a tip off, a police team intercepted two suspected terrorists in the Fancy Bazaar (market) area of Guwahati city in Assam on August 12 and both of them were injured in the ensuing encounter. One of them succumbed to injuries even as the police personnel were shifting him to a nearby hospital. His associate escaped from the incident site in an injured condition. They had come allegedly to extort money from a local businessman. Official sources indicated that group affiliation of the terrorists could not be ascertained immediately. However, media reports have indicated that the terrorist could be affiliated to the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) or they could be former ULFA cadres (SULFA).

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up at the Lokapriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati and other vital installations, including railway stations and oil manufacturing units, in Assam to prevent any anticipated terrorist strikes before or on Independence Day, August 15. Further, the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) has suspended running of night trains with effect from August 14 till August 16 in the Guwahati-Srirampur and the Rangia-Rangapara sections.

Separately, the police destroyed a ULFA hideout following an encounter at Mesakihabi under Talap police station limits in Tinsukia district on August 12. The ULFA terrorists reportedly escaped under the cover of fire. Injuries or casualty on either side was not immediately known.

Other reports have indicated that the Manipur-based Kuki National Front (KNF) has set up hideouts in the North Cachar Hills district and the outfit was allegedly attempting to spread its activities in the area.

The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed welcomed the cease-fire proposal made by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf along the Line of Control (LoC) stating that it could help decrease levels of violence in cross-border firing. "This is an important step as there were a number of casualties including civilians every year in cross border firing along the LoC," he said on the sidelines of a function in Chennai on August 12. President Musharraf has mooted the idea of a cease-fire along the LoC during an interaction with a visiting Indian delegation of Parliamentarians and journalists in Islamabad on the same day. In a press release issued by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, Sayeed said "we have a special reason to be happy over such a ceasefire as it was the people of Jammu and Kashmir who bled and suffered immensely due to confrontation between India and Pakistan, including border firing."

Meanwhile, the secessionist All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC) while welcoming the offer of cease-fire made by President Pervez Musharraf said that terrorist groups have to be taken into confidence for it to be durable. "We welcome the offer of cease-fire made by Musharraf and hope that India reciprocates the latest initiative by Pakistan to create a conducive atmosphere for a dialogue process," Hurriyat chairman Maulana Mohammad Abbas Ansari said in Srinagar. He also said that there should be sincerity on both sides while initiating a dialogue process to resolve the Kashmir issue in which the terrorist leadership should also be involved.

At a press conference held at Sanchar Gram (communication village), Kathmandu, on August 12, Government talks negotiator Kamal Thapa informed that the third round of peace talks with the Maoist insurgents will begin on August 17 in the city of Nepalgunj. Thapa also informed that during the talks, "The government will present its own political agenda. Plus, it will present remarks on Maoists' political agenda proposed during the first round of peace talks." However, he gave no details of the same, but it would be "forward-looking", he added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has re-assured that the security forces will not try to attack or arrest the Maoist negotiating team members during the peace talks. He reportedly said, "The government is fully aware of the price that the country will have to pay if there is any deceit by any side in conduct of the peace process."

Police in Patiala, Punjab, on August 12 reportedly arrested two suspected Al-Umar terrorists, identified as Shakil-ur-Rahman and Farooq Abdul Hatt. According to the police, both hail from Srinagar. Their local conduit too was arrested separately. The district police chief said that a pistol, a revolver, an unspecified quantity of live cartridges, a stolen car, a beacon, a uniform of a police inspector and two badges of Special Police Officers (SPOs) were recovered from them. However, two former Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) terrorists with suspected links with Al-Umar reportedly escaped.

According to a media report, an Achik National Volunteer Council (ANVC) terrorist surrendered before the Meghalaya Minister, Heltone Marak, on August 12 in the capital city of Shillong.

Meanwhile, the State police defused a bomb reportedly planted by suspected ANVC and Assam-based United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) terrorists at Rongchi near Mendipathar in the East Garo Hill district on August 11.