Citizens forming groups to take on terrorists, intel suggests

SRINAGAR: March 28: Security forces have received inputs that citizens have formed groups to lynch militants and avenge the civilian killings.

This follows the brutal killing of SPO Ishfaq Ahmad Dar and his brother Umar Ahmad Dar at Nasrullahpora.

Quoting sources, Kashmir News Agency (KNA) said citizens in Srinagar, Budgam, and Kulgam have formed groups to replicate the Punjab model of the 80s and lynch terrorists hiding among the civilian population.

“Security establishment has been alerted about this developing scenario to ensure people do not take law into their own hands. There have been several cases in the rest of the country where people have publicly lynched and killed criminals and we are apprehensive of a similar situation with vigilante groups becoming active here,” sources said.

The uptick in the number of deaths of civilians including those of the minority community has evoked a lot of anger and outrage among the people in Kashmir. While many Kashmiris are exposing Pakistan for its nefarious designs, civilians have started a drive to kill terrorists hiding in a dense population.

“Things on the ground are changing too. Many Kashmiris have formed local groups in terror-hit districts and are ready to avenge innocent’s blood. First such input was received last year but since then there has been a continuous flow of information about Kashmiri youth plotting mob lynching,” Sources further added.

While the security establishment is cautious, the development is quietly being appreciated by elders, common folks in the society.

“Kashmir is changing too,” said one local Kashmiri volunteer fighting against terrorists in his locality. Citing an example of Punjab, he said the local population helped in neutralizing terrorists, “Why can’t we follow the same,” he said.

Kashmir is experiencing a period of relative stability and peace due to greater – Counterterrorism operations, and a drop in cross-border infiltration along the line of control. For the first time, civilians had come out on street to protest against terrorists last month.

“We think this is very important for the locals of respective areas to stop sheltering terrorists. It is also important to keep a watch in their locality,” said another youth.

A senior citizen from Budgam told KNA that these civilian groups have promised to kill terrorists and act as a barrier to stop any terrorism activity in their respective Mohallas and cities.