Majid Jahangir
Tribune News Service
Srinagar, January 24

With the killing of three local Lashkar-e-Toiba militants on Wednesday, north Kashmir’s Baramulla has been declared first militant-free police district of the Valley.

Three militants Suhaib Akhoon, Mohsin Bhat of and Nasir Darzi — all residents of Baramulla district, were killed in a gunfight with joint forces at Binner in the outskirts of Baramulla town. Akhoon was Lashkar’s one of the top commanders for north Kashmir and was active since December 2017.

“With this (killing of three militants) Baramulla has become first district of Kashmir with no surviving militant as on date,” a police statement issued after the gunfight said. 

“J&K Police extend its thanks to the local population for all their support in providing a better security environment in the district,” it added.

It is for the first time since the militancy erupted in Kashmir in 1989 that Baramulla police district has no resident militant. Baramulla had always the presence of local militants. In 2015, over 20 militants were active in Baramulla police district and all of them have been neutralised, police said.

Baramulla has two police districts — Baramulla and Sopore. While Baramulla has no resident militant, Sopore sub-district has nearly 30 active militants, including nearly a dozen locals.

Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain said they don’t have a resident militant in Baramulla police district right now. He said they have made huge efforts to prevent youth from joining militancy.

“It is not killing of the militant that has been our focus. We have made huge efforts to prevent the boys from joining militancy. The families have been a great support in preventing the recruitment,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Baramulla, Imtiyaz Hussain said.

While the militant recruitment has been on a high after the killing of Burhan Wani in 2016, north Kashmir’s Baramulla district has not seen much recruitment. Last year, when more than 190 youths joined militant ranks across Kashmir — highest in a decade, very few youths from the Baramulla had taken up arms.

Despite less recruitment, there are still 100 militants, majority among them foreigners, active in north Kashmir’s Kupwara, Bandipore, Handwara and Sopore. South Kashmir’s Pulwama and Shopian has the highest number of active militants among all the district.

Shutdown over killing of militants 

A spontaneous shutdown was observed in Baramulla on Thursday against the killing of three local militants. Forces had also sealed several roads leading to old town and Khanpora to maintain law and order situation. A large number of people shouting “pro-freedom” and “anti-India” attended the funeral prayers of three slain militants.