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Improving J & K situation disturbing militants: Advani

Terrorists and their ''mentors from across the border'' were obviously disturbed as the situation in Jammu and Kashmir was gradually improving and the inflow of tourists was also picking up, Home Minister Lal Kishinchand Advani told the Lok Sabha today in a suo moto statement on the July 27 Doda killings.

The terrorists and their abettors had succeeded in hitting some targets in their desperation. They had been trying to concentrate on the Jammu division, particularly in Doda, Udhampur, Rajouri and Poonch which had a mixed population ''apparently with a view to creating a communal divide''. The government is vigilant and the security forces were also achieving some successes, he said.

Advani said the government would adopt a multi-pronged and dynamic approach to deal with the militancy abetted by Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

The steps being taken by the government to curb militancy included anti-militancy operations, preventing infiltration from across the border, redeployment of security forces and the state police at strategic places, proper co-ordination of intelligence and operational agencies, upgrading the capabilities of the state police and security forces and strengthening the village defence committee system. Militancy was ''aided and abetted by Pakistan''. Therefore, it required sustained and systematic efforts at tackling it, he added.

Advani said in June, 76 militants were killed. In the first fortnight of July, 78 militants had been killed. Up to July 15, 388 of them were killed during the current calendar year. They included 65 foreign mercenaries. A total of 545 militants were apprehended during the current year and 96 security personnel had lost their lives, he said.

The entire Doda district, including the area where the incident occurred, is under operational control of the army. It is a vast area and the terrain is hilly and extremely difficult. Doda district is as large an area as the entire Kashmir valley.

''Both these incidents are tragic and reprehensible acts indulged in by the militants who have chosen soft targets of innocent persons in isolated habitations for their desperate and inhuman acts. I am sure that the whole House will join me in condemning these incidents and also in expressing our condolences to the members of the bereaved families,'' Advani said.

The security forces had been put on alert and joint operations had been launched by the state police and security forces to intercept the fleeing militants and nab them.

The militants dispersed in different directions but the pursuing security forces were able to kill two of them. Efforts are continuing to apprehend the others. Additional forces had been immediately inducted into the specific area to strengthen the joint operations. Some more forces are being sent to the area to strengthen the existing forces.

UNI

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