Indian Army General Bipin Rawat speaks to the press on Wednesday. ANI photo

New Delhi, February 15

The Indian Army Chief warned against impeding anti-insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir saying that those willfully obstructing them could be termed “anti-national” and could face “harsh” actions.

At a ceremony the Army held to honour those who died in Tuesday’s gun battles, Army General Bipin Rawat said security forces faced higher number of casualties because of how locals hindered operations to stall security forces, at times even “helping them escape”.

“We would now request the local population that people who have picked up arms — and they are the local boys — if they want to continue with the acts of terrorism displaying flags of ISIS and Pakistan, then we will treat them as anti-national elements and go after them,” Rawat said. “They may survive today but we will get them tomorrow. Our relentless operations will continue. We are giving them an opportunity: should they continue, we will also continue with our relentless operations that may be with harsher measures and that is the way to continue (sic).”

The development comes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a tweet on Wednesday: “Paid tributes to the brave men who lost their lives fighting terrorists in J&K. India will always remember their valour & sacrifice”.

An Army major was among the four armymen killed in two encounters — one in Bandipora, and later in Handiwara. Four militants were killed in the two encounters.

Protests followed the gunfight, with police using teargas to stall angry marchers heading to the site of the encounter.

Protests also followed a gunfight on Frisal in Kulgam district in which four militants, two army generals and civilian were killed on Sunday. A man was killed and more than 24 injured in the protests that followed the gunfight.

While the Army claimed the civilian was taken hostage by the militants, the locals claimed he was used by the soldiers as a shield. PTI/ Agencies