Army men in Shopian after the militant attack on Thursday. Tribune Photo: Amin War

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Wednesday morning’s ambush of the Army patrol, which claimed lives of three soldiers and injured five others, including two officers, has yet again put the spotlight on the increasing dangers for the Army. It is a siege-like situation for the Army, where its operations, movements and camps are increasingly coming under terror attacks.More worrying is the intensity and frequency of such attacks and the mounting public support for the militants who have been inflicting casualties on soldiers.Shopian incident is to be read as the peaking of such attacks on the Army. These worries deepen when militants get away with such audacious attacks with the help of the support of their overground sympathisers who cordon off the encounter site.The way Indian soldiers are losing their lives in ambushes and encounters with militants is simply inexplicable. Something is definitely wrong somewhere, which the Army has not been able to correct despite the vow of Army Chief General Bipin Rawat that ruthless measures would be taken against the terrorists and their sympathisers who have deadly and disruptive intentions.There has been no tangible improvement in the situation. In fact, it has stirred more anger and deepened feelings to take revenge on the forces by the crowds, apparently the risk-taking supporters of the militants.The militants have come to rest in the core of the psyche of sections of people who thrive on anti-India sentiment. They want to shield militants at huge costs. The risks in such situations are very high but they also are aware that the security forces cannot fire at them with guns because that would embarrass India at the international fora. That has emboldened them.Already the global human rights watch groups have accused the security forces of using “excessive force” against the stone-throwing protesters.The frequency with which the militants have appeared to have gained an upper hand as far the casualty ratio is concerned is a highly disturbing scenario. It is disturbing because it sends an alarming message that the militants are invincible and the Army is vulnerable in Kashmir.In the same line, it is also read that militants enjoy this advantage because of the public support that has been demonstrated when the stone-throwing crowds have not only disrupted the anti-terror operations but have also forced the Army to abandon their operations.Equally dismaying is the point that people have turned visibly hostile to the Army and are unafraid of taking on the soldiers. This speaks of their love for militants and hatred for India, for they believe that India has sent its “occupational forces” to rule the state. This narrative is at the heart of the whole trouble in which the Army is increasingly becoming a target.

CM condemns killing of three Army men, civilian at Shopian

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 23

Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti condemned the killing of three Army personnel in a militant attack at Shopian in the wee hours today.The Chief Minister said violence had never been and could never be a mean to address issues. She said the unending cycle of violence in the state had brought untold miseries to the people and collective efforts were needed to get the state out of the morass of death and destruction.Mehbooba Mufti also expressed deep grief and anguish over the death of a civilian in the incident.She conveyed her sympathies with the bereaved families of the soldiers and the civilian.