New Delhi (Sputnik) – Local reports said villagers were involved in fierce resistance against security operation and pelted stones at government forces including Army personnel.
“Today’s combing operation in Kashmir is to ensure the situation is brought under control, after recent incidents. Banks have been looted, policemen have been killed. That is why today's combing operation is taking place. We are taking measures, have beefed up our counter-infiltration posture to take care of the situation,” Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat said in New Delhi.
Indian security forces including Army, paramilitary forces and police are searching house-to-house for militants with the backing of helicopters.
Senior BJP MP Subramanian Swamy termed the combing operations an “appropriate reply”.
Terrorists plan to declare S. Kashmir as "liberated Zone" with Hindus or Govt officials not allowed to live in the zone. "Appropriate" reply— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) May 4, 2017
Militants looted four banks over the last three days, killing five policemen and two bank officials.
After a spurt in militancy was put down in the 1990s, life on the Indian side of Kashmir was reasonably peaceful until July 2016 when the killing of Burhan Wani, the leader of an outlawed Kashmiri separatist group, by Indian forces led to the revival of street protests. Since then, the region has been on the boil.
This story first appeared on Sputnik & is reposted here with permission.