Terrorists lobbed a grenade at a CRPF bunker near a crowded flea market in Srinagar on Sunday, injuring at least 11 civilians.
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday took strong note of a grenade attack in Srinagar and directed the Union Territory’s top police officer and other security officials to give a “forceful response to the terrorists.”
The Lieutenant Governor reaffirmed the government’s resolve to thwart the plans of terrorist elements. “Terrorists targeting our citizens will have to pay a very heavy price for their actions. You have full freedom to crush terror outfits and leave no stone unturned to complete this mission,” Sinha told senior security officials.
Shortly after the grenade attack in Srinagar, which left 11 people injured, Sinha, who heads the Unified Command in Jammu and Kashmir, spoke with Director General of Police Nalin Prabhat and other senior security officials, directing them to respond forcefully to punish those responsible for the attacks.
The Lieutenant Governor wished a speedy recovery to those injured and directed the district administration to provide all possible assistance.
Security experts believe that Manoj Sinha’s “freehand to security forces” reflects his administration’s commitment to eradicating terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is because of the freehand given by the LG to the security officials that Jammu and Kashmir witnessed peace for many years and that many hardcore terrorists were killed by security forces,” a security expert told CNN-News18.
LG Underscores Need For Pre-Emptive Acton
During a recent review meeting of the unified command in Srinagar that focused on the security situation and development aspects across all districts of Kashmir Division, the Lieutenant Governor underscored the need for pre-emptive action against terrorist threats.
He highlighted that peace and development must be safeguarded and called for the strongest possible actions against terrorists and those providing any form of assistance to them.
“We aim to ensure socio-economic development and promote a sense of security among the people,” Sinha stated.
He emphasized a zero-tolerance approach to anti-national propaganda and public safety threats, advocating for greater vigilance and coordination among security agencies to dismantle the terror ecosystem. Additionally, he directed that the issue of narco-terrorism should be dealt with immediately, prioritizing the dismantling of the entire network.
While chairing the meeting at Raj Bhawan in Srinagar, Sinha reinforced that terrorism must be eradicated from Jammu and Kashmir, and those responsible for attacking innocent civilians and security forces should not be spared under any circumstances. He instructed the security apparatus to devise a comprehensive strategy to hold accountable all supporters of terrorism and those who take up arms.
The Unified Command meeting followed the Gagangir terror attack, in which terrorists killed seven innocent civilians.
Following that attack, Sinha tweeted: “The brutal and savage attack against construction workers will be avenged. I’ve asked the J&K Police and security forces to exact a price that will be remembered by the terrorists and their associates for time to come.”