Security forces engaged in counter-insurgency operations in Jammu and Kashmir since 1989 have done well during all these years of secessionist violence and terrorism. They have prevented a large number of terror attacks and also exposed series of major terror plots leading to timely detection and recovery of over 13,000 kilograms of RDX explosive material.
In addition, security forces have also recovered 33,000 kilograms of other explosives since 1990 from different militant hideouts, site of encounter etc. During the same period, the security forces also detected 6500 Improvised explosive devices (IED’s) planted by different militant outfits to target men in uniform and their motorcades.
Besides this, more than 64,000 grenades were also recovered by the security forces during peak days of militancy when it was believed that the state was believed sitting on the powder keg. Major tragedies were averted with the timely seizure of rockets from the militant hideouts. Over 4800 rockets were recovered by the security forces from the militant outfits in the last twenty years of violence across the state. The highest number of 555 rockets were seized in the year 2000. More than 5800 Anti-personnel mines were also recovered during the same period.
As per reports, “28 CAR bomb blasts were triggered by militants between 2002 and March 2010 and “the Year 2005 was the bloodiest in terms of recording highest number of 13 car bomb blasts, the year Mufti Mohd Sayeed handed over power baton to Ghulam Nabi Azad”.
It bears recalling that minutes before Azad took the oath of office in Srinagar, he was greeted by powerful car bomb blast in Kashmir valley and the trial went on for next few days. In the year 2006, the figure dropped to 5 car bomb blasts and in the last three years only 3 car bomb blast, 2 in 2007 and one in 2009 was triggered by the militants.
Till 2001 militant outfits never resorted to using of car bomb blasts in the Kashmir valley, a report in this regard said. Significantly, use of RDX by militant groups also came to light with the recovery of consignments of RDX for the first time during 1996. Since then over 13,000 kg of RDX has been recovered by the security forces across the state. “A total number of over 5900 explosions/IED blasts and over 12500 grenade explosions took place across the state since the eruption of militancy,” the report said. “The maximum number of 1280 explosions and 1522 grenade blasts took place in 1990“.
During the period of turmoil, the security forces also recovered more than 40 lakh rounds of AK-47/56/74 automatic rifles, 23000 rounds of pistol revolver, two dozen telescope rifles, 128580 rounds of UMG, 48200 rounds of sniper rifle etc.
The number of weapons and other military hardware recovered in anti-terrorist operations could equip several battalions of a modern Army During the decade long Pak sponsored terrorism in J&K.
