Locals pelt stones at security forces during operation to flush out militants

A TREND HAS EMERGED IN THE VALLEY WHERE LOCAL YOUTH FLOCK ENCOUNTER SITES DURING GUNFIGHTS TO HELP MILITANTS FLEE

Locals, ignoring a recent warning by the army chief, pelted stones at security forces when the latter cordoned off a village looking for militants in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Saturday.

The incident comes barely a couple of days after army chief General Bipin Rawat warned of harsh measures if youth hampered counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir Valley.

A trend has emerged lately in the Valley where local youth flock encounter sites during raging gunfights to help militants flee.

The army chief’s statement triggered outrage in the Valley, with Opposition parties as well as separatists claiming such remark would escalate tension in the state.

A team of army and police surrounded the village in Urivan-Newa area of Pulwama after getting information about the presence of militants there.

Soon local people started throwing stones intermittently at the forces from the rooftop of their houses, sources at the Pulwama police control room said.

“They were pelting stones occasionally at the security forces when they were doing their job. The searches, however, went off peacefully,” a policeman manning the PCR said.

Army spokesman Rajesh Kalia said stones were hurled at the forces by a mob when they were returning after conducting the search, which was initiated based on some intelligence inputs. The mob was dispersed by the police, he said.

A local news agency in Srinagar, however, reported that the forces had to withdraw the operation after facing “stiff resistance” from locals. Police and army officials refuted it.