Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday said the recent targeted killings were aimed at provoking security forces and eventually fuelling street protests, “as militancy is on its last leg in the Kashmir Valley”.
“These acts were out of desperation. When a candle is about to extinguish, it flicks intensely. Our security forces have gone all out against them. Terrorism in its last stage in J&K,” Mr. Sinha, who inaugurated the Eklavya Model Residential School, and laid foundation stone for a new Tribal Youth Hostel at Kulgam, said.
He said the killings of innocent people were “well-planned to provoke police and security forces to commit a mistake and create a situation for street protests”.
“We won’t fall prey to such nefarious designs. The police and security forces won’t even touch any innocent. We follow the policy don’t spare the culprit and don’t touch the innocent,” Mr. Sinha said.
The L-G said development is not possible amid violence. He said it’s the responsibility of the society “to condemn innocent target killings in Kashmir, like the teachers who shape the future of the society.
“People should condemn the act of killing a female teacher. If they don’t come forward, they are backing out from their responsibility,” he added.
Nine civilians were killed in targeted killings by militants in Kashmir in May this year and sparked a wave of fear among the members of the minority communities.
Hizb militant shot dead
Meanwhile, the security forces on Saturday said they killed a Hizbul Mujahideen militant in south Kashmir’s Kulgam.
“One terrorist of the Hizbul Mujahideen was killed during an operation at Khandipora in Kulgam,” a police spokesperson said.
In a separate incident, an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was defused on the Srinagar-Baramulla national highway in north Kashmir.
Officials said the IED was planted near Hygam in Sopore on the Srinagar-Baramulla national highway and was detected by the security forces on Thursday morning.
Later, a Bomb Disposal Squad defused the IED. However, the traffic remained suspended on the highway till the squad’s operation was over.
