Two days and three encounters claimed the lives of six soldiers and eight Pakistan-trained and supported militants. Civilian casualty in such circumstances is collateral but the dangerous trend emerging out of these encounters is the increasing number of militant-sympathisers among the local population. Politically Centre has to come out of ‘appease all’ policy with a proactive one to deal with the emerging new phase of militancy in Kashmir Valley. Post Burhan Wani of Hizbul Mujahideen killing and six months of violent clashes bringing life to a standstill in summers has given enough space for pushing in large number of terrorists from across the border by Pakistan and its notorious agency ISI. The other factor could be the large following of the slain Hizbul militant locally. The public surge seen after the encounter is the new trend where people in large number chase the security men evacuating the injured and others. This trend has to be changed India cannot allow the sacrifice of young men in uniform to be used as a scapegoat for gaining political mileage. New Delhi is treading a fragile path of reconciliation to retain the Coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir that could be one main reason that the government must have asked the security forces to vacate the encounter sight without causing much civilian causality. Delhi needs to reverse this trend and has to come out with a proactive policy to handle terrorism otherwise whatever little edge gained during all these years by the security agencies in checking the spread of terror-related activities would be lost in the face of emerging large public sympathy. Notwithstanding, Pakistan continues its intransigence on proxy war and fuel separatist sentiments in J and K. Accordingly, it continues to finance, train, equip and to infiltrate terrorists across LoC. There are reports of some terrorists having been successfully infiltrated this year. These terrorists could carry out some strikes and therefore, the need for caution remains. The message is obvious. No amount of concessions to the separatist leaders will ever appease them, their real goal being is secession.
