TWO SOLDIERS MARTYRED;Terrorists continue to strike at will; vulnerability of Jmu-Sgr NH exposed

STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Despite following ‘hot pursuit’ strategy to track down terrorists in different parts of the Kashmir Valley, the security forces continue to pay heavy prices by way of making supreme sacrifices in the line of duty.
On Saturday, when a group of heavily armed terrorists targeted army convoy near Lower Munda in Qazigund area along the Jammu Srinagar National Highway they once again exposed the vulnerability of the highway.
Out of six soldiers injured in the audacious strike two of them succumbed to their fatal injuries in the hospital.
After making their presence felt the manner in which the terrorists vanished from the scene of action has also raised question marks over the security lapses which resulted in easy movement for the terrorists. Due to accumulation of vehicles at Lower Munda, a large number of security forces remain stationed to regulate the movement of heavy vehicles and conduct random checking.
Quick reaction teams also remain stationed but in this case none of them got the opportunity to contain the attacking terrorists and they ran away from the scene of action after targeting the army convoy.
Even after launching a massive crack down in the area and combing the vicinity of the attack site the security forces failed to track down the attackers.
“The injured soldiers were evacuated to military hospital at Badamibagh, Srinagar, where two jawans succumbed to their injuries. Four others are undergoing treatment,” an Army official said.
After the terrorist attack, police, paramilitary and Army men launched a joint combing and search operation in the area to track down the attackers.
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has been closed after the attack.
Meanwhile, Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack on Army convoy that left two jawans martyred. Earlier in the day, a senior police official had said it can either be handiwork of the Lashkar-e-Taiba or Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists.
“Both Lashkar and Hizb terrorists are active in south Kashmir and members of any of the two groups would have been involved in the attack,” he had said.
The sensational strike has also given a wakeup call to the various security agencies to gear up their defences and make elaborate security arrangements in order to ensure smooth conduct of the Amarnath yatra.
Compared to previous years, the State Government has already demanded additional troop strength of over 25,000 paramilitary forces to guard the entire yatra route.
Besides elaborate security arrangements are also needed in and around yatra base camps at different locations between Lakhanpur and base camps in the South Kashmir.
The security forces are also gearing up their road opening parties with modern gadgets and dog squads to ensure detection of any explosive device planted enroute the yatra track.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti and Deputy Chief Minister, Dr Nirmal Singh have paid rich tributes to the two jawans of the army who were killed in the terror attack.
The Chief Minister has extended her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of slain soldiers. She has also conveyed her sympathies to the soldiers who were injured in the incident.
Mehbooba Mufti said that it was unfortunate that an unending cycle of violence has got unleashed in our society which only spreads miseries and desperation.
The Dy CM has extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of slain soldiers. He also conveyed his sympathies to the soldiers who were injured in the incident and prayed for their early recovery.