The Indian Army has identified 5-6 populated areas, including Tral, Shopian and Anantnag in South Kashmir where it had reduced its presence will now deploy additional forces, in a bid to curb violence.
Sources in the army said, the troops had moved out of these areas after the 2010 violence as a part of the understanding between the Centre and the then Omar Abdullah government. The army had allowed the state police to manage the law and order. “But we have noticed that in the last two months, the police has come under intense pressure in these areas,” said a top army source.
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HT had reported on August 15 that the unrest in Kashmir has led to redeployment of forces. Northern army commander Lieutenant General DS Hooda last month ordered the deployment of more than 4,000 additional soldiers to hotspots in south Kashmir.
“We have pushed in additional forces after reviewing which areas are more disturbed than the others. The army has strengthened its deployment fairly significantly at trouble spots,” he had said.
{{/usCountry}}“We have pushed in additional forces after reviewing which areas are more disturbed than the others. The army has strengthened its deployment fairly significantly at trouble spots,” he had said.
{{/usCountry}}The action plan comes amid the clear signal from the ruling establishment at the Centre that it would not allow violence to de-stabilise the democratically elected PDP-BJP alliance government.
Army chief General Dalbir Singh visited Kashmir on Friday—his 4th visit there in last 45 days—and assured support for bringing normalcy in the valley particularly the four restive districts of South Kashmir.
Calling for high vigil along the Line of Control, Gen Singh urged the troops to sensitise people, especially the youth, to eschew violence to usher in peace at the earliest.
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