Union home minister cites spate in militant violence in Valley
While security forces displayed exemplary restraint during this period, terrorists have continued with their attacks.
RAJNATH SINGH, Home minister
It could have led to way out of bloodshed and destruction. But for that everyone had to be on board.
NAEEM AKHTAR, PDP minister
NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: The Union government on Sunday said it was discontinuing the suspension of military operations in Jammu and Kashmir as the holy Islamic month of Ramzan was over, and announced the full resumption of cordon-and-search and search-and-destroy operations in the state to prevent terror attacks.
The same evening, a 45-yearold man was killed in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district after unidentified gunmen barged into his house and opened fire at him, police said. Iqbal Kawak was an employee with the consumer affairs and public distribution department, said Kulgam SP Harmeet Singh.
Earlier, home minister Rajnath Singh said that the May 17 decision to suspend operations had been taken “in the interests of the peace-loving people of J&K in order to provide them a conducive atmosphere to observe Ramzan”.
Though the government did not call it a ceasefire, it was the first such truce in the troubled state in more than 17 years.
“It was expected that everyone will cooperate in ensuring the success of this initiative. While the security forces have displayed exemplary restraint during this period, the terrorists have continued with their attacks on civilians and security forces, resulting in deaths and injuries. Security forces are now being directed to take all necessary actions as earlier to prevent terrorists from launching attacks and indulging in violence and killings,” Rajnath Singh wrote on Twitter.
Ja&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who had first asked for the ceasefire, had been appealing to the Centre for an extension of the truce period. The issue was being deliberated on at the highest levels of the government for the last two weeks.
A senior home ministry official said three principal issues weighed on the government’s mind — security arrangements for the 60-day long annual Amarnath Yatra that starts on June 28, spike in violence in the second half of Ramzan and a less-than-enthusiastic response to the initiative from the Valley’s separatist leadership.
