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J&K's bloodiest month in a decade

Mukhtar Ahmad in Srinagar

August, 2000 has turned out to be the bloodiest month in Jammu and Kashmir's decade-old militancy. Over 300 people have been killed this month, and there is still a day to go.

The month also saw the state swing between hope and desperation with the Hizbul Mujahideen's cease-fire offer (late in July) and its subsequent withdrawal nearly a fortnight later.

Tragically, it was the peace talks between the Indian government and Hizbul representatives that seemed to have led to the escalation in violence in the state. First, militant groups opposed to the cease-fire went on a killing spree, and then, when the talks failed, the Hizb expressed its anger by engineering a series of blasts.

At least 31 people, most of them Amarnath-bound yatris, were massacred on August 1. The same day militants carried out several bloody attacks in a frenzy of violence. At the end of the day, the toll stood at close to 100.

A day after the Hizb withdrew its cease-fire, the militant group exloded a power car bomb killing 13 persons, including a photo-journalist of The Hindustan Times.

It is now almost certain that two militants brandishing guns had hijacked the car belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir Bank in Maisuma and taken it to Karan Nagar. An hour later the youth drove the car back and parked it in the SBI lane after loading it with the deadly explosives.

The police a few days back claimed to have arrested six youths, including a foreign militant, involved in the blast.

The Hizb struck again a few days back killing a brigadier and his deputy in a massive landmine explosion at Zachaldara near Handwara in northern border district of Kupwara.

The troops are now on a high alert all over the state and searches are being conducted regularly. Intelligence reports have suggested that more killing are likely in the valley. A bloody winter seems to be in the offing.

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