Once again Shopian encounter, which is the fourth such incident in three weeks, brings to the fore questions about the emerging scenario in Kashmir. Terrorists ambushing army convoy and escaping from the ambush site surely does show that terrorists are well familiar with the terrain and they are mostly locals who have sympathisers and supporters in all walks of life in Kashmir Valley. The toll tally of security men has remained almost on the same level as of terrorists which needs to be dealt with some harsh measures. There appears to be leakage of information on security men movement as terrorists attacked the security forces party which was going for a cordon and search operation in Chittargam area of Shopian. The attack left three army personnel killed, five others injured and a woman dead after getting hit by a stray bullet. The militants managed to escape under the cover of darkness. The recent and the earlier incidents show there is change in tactics of terrorists and their sympathisers in Kashmir Valley. There is no denial of the fact that whatever public reaction against the Indian security forces, which are fighting the Pak-supported militants harboured locally, is instigated and promoted by the Indian-hater separatists and their supporters more than the common man in Kashmir. There should be no relaxation in dealing with such elements and neither there should be any sympathy for them. Forces should continue to deal with a strong arm any provocation from civilians whether it is stone throwing, exhibiting of Pakistan and ISIS flags, sheltering militants and trying to disrupt and disturb the counter-insurgency operations allowing Pak-backed militants to escape from hideouts or the cordoned areas. Army Chief was right in terming such supporters as enemies of the nation. There was an air of euphoria when Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about bring normalcy during his campaigning ahead of 2014 Parliamentary and Assembly elections and people in the State saw some hope in the changing attitude of the saffron government. But today situation has not changed much. On the other hand terrorists and their symapthisers have changed their stance which needs to be dealt with firm hands and not with rhetoric.
