Terrorists down to single digits in Kashmir, IG Sujit Kumar says giving exact figure tough

Inspector General (Kashmir) Police, Sujit Kumar, stated on Thursday that the number of local terrorists in the Valley has dwindled to single digits. However, he cautioned that providing an exact figure is challenging due to their transient nature. According to Kumar, there is one local terrorist responsible for attacks in Anantnag and Kulgam, supported by foreign terrorists. He indicated ongoing efforts by the police to trace these individuals, but cautioned that any precise number would be an exaggeration.

In South Kashmir this year, 22-year-old Mohammad Lateef Bhat, with no prior criminal history, killed a policeman and two non-local workers in separate attacks. Bhat disappeared from his home in November last year. Kumar highlighted the strong link between militancy and the illicit narcotics trade, stating that a significant portion of the narcotics trade directly supports terrorism. He emphasized that kingpins across the border distribute illicit earnings through networks of Over Ground Workers under various pretexts.

In response to drug-related activities, the J&K Police have made significant strides, arresting over 1,900 individuals in 1,651 cases this year alone. Over 1,700 kilograms of contraband has been seized, and one crore in cash has been recovered. Additionally, 567 bank accounts have been frozen. Kumar also addressed concerns about frequent traffic stoppages along the National Highway in Jammu and Kashmir, noting that national highway security protocols have been established based on previous terror incidents.

He reiterated that the highway remains under constant threat, with IEDs recovered in the vicinity, making it a sensitive issue. Kumar assured that the matter will be thoroughly discussed and considered with other security forces.