Increased attacks, raids on political persons in Kashmir

Grendae lobbed at NC leader' house, 2 PDP leaders' houses vandalized , seven incidents in as many days

October 21: Suspected terrorists, carrying guns, barged into the house of PDP zonal president Peer Mohammad Ashraf at Dadsara in Tral and vandalised it, firing shots before fleeing.

October 20: PDP lawmaker from Tral Mushtaq Ahmad Shah came under attack as terrorists lobbed a grenade at his residence in Pulwama which exploded in the compound without causing any damage.

October 19: A grenade was hurled on the residence of Aijaz Ahmad Mir, PDP MLA from Wachi in Shopian district, exploding inside the residential compound, though there was no damage.

October 16: Three Hizbul terrorists shot dead a PDP leader Mohammed Ramzan Sheikh in Shopian. The next day, slain leader's house was torched by 'miscreants'.

September 21: Terrorists lobbed a grenade on cavalcade of Minister for Public Works, Naeem Akhtar killing three civilians while leaving 29 others injured in Tral area of Pulwama. The minister escaped unhurt in the attack.
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JAMMU: In an unusual turn of events in valley where usually the security personnel and civilians remain on the target, the guns of the terrorists seem to have turned towards the mainstream political leaders and activists, as Kashmir has seen a sharp rise in such incidents over the past week.
In past seven days, as many attacks, including opening fire and lobbing grenades besides three raids have been made by terrorists on political leaders in Kashmir including two current MLAs. These attacks primarily targeted leaders of Peoples Democratic Party, six of them to be precise, besides an NC leader who came under firing on Sunday.
On Sunday, as many as three political leaders from PDP and NC suffered terrorists' assault in Kulgam and Pulwama district.
The first such report came in from Tral on Sunday morning when Terrorists hurled a grenade at the residence of a National Conference leader Mohammad Ashraf Bhat, son of former MLA Tral, Mohammad Subhan Bhat.
A CRPF Assistant Sub-Inspector was injured in the grenade attack while no injuries were reported to the said leader or any of his family members.
The terrorists managed to escape while security forces were rushed to the area and a search operation has been launched to nab the attackers.
Later in the day, terrorists vandalised the house of PDP youth president Sheraz Ahmed's house in Nunmai Kulgam, followed by the residence of PDP Zonal president Farooq Ahmed in Ashmuji in the same area.
In the latter incident, before leaving the spot, terrorists also fired three shots in the air.
Farooq somehow managed to flee from the house, police said.
Meanwhile, Hizbul Mujahideen commander Riyaz Naikoo has threatened to enforce "migration of mainstream leaders and workers, besides the policemen, if ransacking of militant houses does not stop in south Kashmir".
"Treat it as a last warning. All small or big workers of PDP and NC are warned to stop their activities... it is gun versus gun. What have our families to do with it? If our houses are damaged, we will go after every mainstream leader and policemen," Hizb commander Naikoo is seen as saying in a video released on Sunday.
The recent spurt in such attacks is seen as the terrorists' tactics to create tension among the politicians, in a bid to steer them away from the mainstream politics.
Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh also spoke on the same lines on Saturday when he said that the houses of MLAs were being attacked with grenades in a bid to create fear among the people but security forces were dealing with the situation bravely.
"Anti-national elements are trying their best to create a turmoil-like situation. Houses of our MLAs are being attacked with grenades as every attempt is being made to create fear among the people," Singh had said on the sidelines of a police function organised on the occasion of 'National Police Day'.
Such attacks also give weight to the assertion of Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Bipin Rawat who on Saturday had said that the security situation in the Kashmir Valley was improving and what was happening was reflection of terrorists' frustration.
"I think the security situation in the Kashmir Valley is improving and what is happening now in the Kashmir Valley is possibly highlighting the frustration of the terrorists and those who are supporting them," he had said.