Srinagar: The upcoming Amarnath Yatra, which is taking place physically after a gap of 2 years, is quite likely to be a target of Pakistan-supported terrorists.
An indication in this regard came today in the form of a poster purportedly issued by so-called The Resistance Front (TRF), a dubious terrorist organisation seen as a front for Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) outfit.
In the poster, doing rounds on the social media, the outfit has openly threatened to target the pilgrimage, citing various excuses and pretexts for its evil intent.
The outfit, while threatening to spill blood “everywhere from Jammu to Kashmir” during the Yatra, has also ridiculously justified the recent targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley.
Meanwhile, the security establishment has been holding frequent reviews of the situation, well aware that the pilgrimage is going to be a huge challenge.
The Amarnath pilgrimage to the Holy Cave, housing Ice Shivling in the mountains of South Kashmir, is slated to begin on June 30 and conclude 43 days later on Raksha Bandhan.
The yatra could not take place physically during the last two years because of Covid pandemic and the attached restrictions.
Since there are no Covid restrictions in place this time, the Jammu and Kashmir government expects that the number of pilgrims could be big, as big as 6-8 lakh.
TRF has claimed that if 8 lakh people undertake the pilgrimage, it would “provoke the sensitivity of Kashmir situation”, to the extent that the yatra deserves to be attacked.
The outfit claimed that the central government is “using common people for their nefarious designs”.
“They used Kashmiri Pandit’s for their vote bank and results are in front of everyone. And now they are going to use Amarnath Yatra for their dirty politics,” it said.
It claimed to have “knowledge” that the central government is “pumping RSS Sangis in the name of Amarnath Yatra into the Valley just to disrupt the situation there during the Yatra.”
Also read:Kashmir: Infiltration bid foiled, terrorist killed
The poster claimed that TRF is “not against any religious matter but when such religious institutions are used against Kashmir struggle, then it becomes our concern to take such a matter in our hand.”
“We want to make it clear if this Yatra is used for political and demographic gains, then we at Resistance Front will do our best to hinder such filthy schemes of Fascist Sangi regime,” it said.
While issuing threats, it put conditions on the “righteous pilgrims”, saying “you are safe till you are not indulged in Kashmir issue or you don’t interfere in Kashmir issue but once you give shelter to Sangi goons in pilgrim disguise, then the situation is going to change.”
“We will openly target any stooge who becomes a pawn of this Fascist Sangi regime and the blood of such stooges and pawns will spill like anything everywhere from Jammu to Kashmir. Keep that in mind.
“Don’t become scapegoats like Kashmiri Pandits and don’t get provoked by Fascist regime’s safronization talks.”
There is a pattern in this threat as the terrorists, who are armed, sponsored and supported by Pakistan, have always cited some excuses to kill innocent people, especially Kashmiri Pandits and other Hindus.
While killing Kashmiri Pandits since 1989, without any fault of theirs, the terrorists have always tried to justify the cold-blooded murders by claiming that the slain were “members of RSS” or “informers” of the security forces.
Also read: Kashmir: 3 terrorists killed in encounter on Amarnath Yatra route
Aware of the security challenge that the Pakistan-backed terrorists are going to pose to the Yatra, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with the Army and Paramilitary forces, have been undertaking reviews of the situation.
A recent such meeting saw a detailed discussion on threats, especially in the shape of drone attacks and sticky bombs to the Yatra convoy and the appropriate security responses.
The meeting discussed all the security aspects, like the proposed deployments and arrangements for camp security, use of modern/technical gadgets, road opening parties, general security scenario in the respective areas, preparation for disaster management, cut off timings.
The officers were directed to ensure better coordination and synergy among different security agencies working on ground and prepare the exhaustive security plan and arrangements as per the ground situation and requirement in their respective areas for peaceful yatra.
Also read: Amarnath Yatra to be held after 2-year gap, begin from June 30
IGP (Kashmir) Vijay Kumar emphasised upon the officers to make adequate use of modern security gadgets and technology including CCTVs, drones.
He also emphasised the need for special attention towards generating specific intelligence and conducting anti-terrorist operations especially on the Yatra routes so as to enhance the security surveillance grid and thwart evil designs of anti-national elements.
The J&K police and security forces have already killed a number of terrorists in the areas which fall in or close to the Amarnath Yatra route.
