Sopore: Sopore -- known as the 'apple town'
-- is fast gaining notoriety for becoming a safe haven of
terrorists, especially of Pakistan-based Hizbul Mujahideen and
Lashker-e-Taiba, as it has seen a sudden spurt in violence
during the last six weeks.
Today's targeted killing of Mohammed Yusuf, head
constable of Jammu and Kashmir Police, was once again an
eye-opener for the authorities about the presence of nearly 30
to 40 militants in this North Kashmir town.
The terror groups Lashker and Hizbul are led by Abdullah
Uni and Basharat in this region with some active support of
overground workers as the area has a domination of
Jamat-e-Islami workers who are associated with pro-Pakistan
separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
The town earlier saw militants digging a road and
planting an improvised explosive device inside a water supply
line. This was followed by gunning down of four CRPF personnel
in Watlab Bandipore area on the outskirts of Sopore.
There has been a pattern of targeted killing of police
officials in the area in which information to militants is
suspected to have been provided by the local overground
workers of the terror groups.
Mohammed Ashraf Ganai, local National Conference MLA,
says he would be holding talks with local-level workers to
restore confidence in the administrative system while police
were also planning to launch an offensive there soon.
PTI
First Published: Tuesday, February 09, 2010, 20:30