Large crowds seen at the funerals of terrorists in recent months have emerged as a challenge for security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, officers say.
On Wednesday, thousands attended the funeral of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Shakir Ahmad in Pulwama district, around 40 km from Srinagar. Clashes broke out and a man was killed and two injured allegedly in police firing.
“Youth are now understanding the reality and history of Kashmir. Now they are more inclined towards it. The gun however is not the answer to this problem,” said Abdul Hamid, a local resident.
The massive crowds are not only glorifying terrorists, there are times when protesters seem inclined to provide cover for terrorists, say the police, adding that they have devised a strategy to fight this.
The surging crowds at funerals of terrorists are worrying security forces.
With every anti-militancy operation, the police are also posting anti-riot squads to deal with the crowds.
“Whenever there is cordon-and-search operation and we learn of a presence of terrorists in that area, you see people are made to come out and protest, sometime leading to violence so that our attention is diverted it allows terrorists to escape,” said a senior Jammu and Kashmir police officer Javid Gilini.
According to police sources, 70 local boys have joined terrorism in south Kashmir in the last one year. Leading the charge is 21-year-old tech savvy terrorist commander Burhan Wani who is using social media to draw impressionable followers.
The crowds after every militant killing reflects a complex and disturbing reality for Kashmir, say officials. For security agencies, the challenge is not just to kill terrorists but also check their supporters.
Countering these efforts and containing their growing support base in the valley only adds to their task of neutralising terrorism and violence in a complicated environment, law enforcers say.
