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Militant outfits may revive fidayeen [suicide] attacks as the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election dates come near, Inspector General of Police K Rajindra Kumar said on Thursday.
"Suicide attacks may take place in a bid to have demonstrative effect before and during the election," Kumar said. "The local militants have been given instructions to step up their activities during the election process. They [militants] have been asked to attack soft targets and create an atmosphere of fear in the valley."
However, Kumar said militants, other than the fidayeen, have been asked to 'conserve themselves' and avoid any 'contact' with security agencies.
"There is also an interesting phenomenon which has come forth during the interrogation [of arrested militants]. The well-known militant outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Tayiba have asked the local or little-known groups to take responsibility for any attack to portray a picture of indigenous freedom struggle," Kumar said.
Kumar said the militants were also using the local media to create terror. "Recently in one of the local newspapers, Alsafah, the militant outfits had warned the people of the state against participating in assembly election," he said.
Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2002: The complete coverage
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