While Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked militants to reciprocate the Indian side's ceasefire during Ramzan, terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen seems to have no such plans.
In a blatant show of fearlessness Thursday, May 17, the group reportedly posted online an image of the three service weapons that it had looted from the J&K policemen in Srinagar. The image, which shows three rifles, was posted on Facebook by Hizbul Mujahideen via an account with the name 'Hamzah Hizbi,'' reported Zee Media.
The looting incident took place at a guard post of a hotel in Srinagar May 17, and the policemen, to whom the rifles belonged, told the headquarters that a group of terrorists had attacked their post and fled with the rifles.
Strangely, there were no eyewitnesses to the incident, despite the place being a crowded area, and preliminary investigation revealed that the policemen had not even tried to fight the terrorists.
As the incident and lack of eyewitnesses raised suspicions, two of these policemen were detained for interrogation, while a hunt was launched for the third one. The incident has kicked up a storm as the state of Jammu and Kashmir is already on alert with extensive security arrangement before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit May 19.
Ramzan Ceasefire
The Indian government had Thursday, May 17, declared a conditional ceasefire in J&K to mark the holy month of Ramzan. It had said that it expected everyone, including the militants, to cooperate so that Muslims in the state could observe their fast peacefully.
The Centre asked security forces not to launch operations during this time, but clarified that the forces would retaliate if there was a threat to the innocent people in the state.
The Centre asks Security Forces not to launch operations in Jammu & Kashmir during the holy month of Ramzan. Decision taken to help the peace loving Muslims observe Ramzan in a peaceful environment.
— HMO India (@HMOIndia) May 16, 2018
HM Shri @rajnathsingh has informed the Chief Minister, J&K of Centre’s decision.
The state chief minister Mufti then tweeted that she was glad that the Centre had taken the decision and also called upon the militants top reciprocate the ceasefire. "I wholeheartedly welcome the Ramadan ceasefire and would like to thank Narendra Modi ji and Rajnath Singh ji for their personal intervention. My gratitude also to the leaders and parties who participated in the All Party Meeting and helped build consensus towards this announcement," she wrote.
Former chief minister of the state Omar Abdullah also welcomed the decision and said that if they terrorists do not reciprocate this initiative, it will prove that they are against the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, militants clearly do not care about the ceasefire and violated it in the RS Pura Friday, May 18, in which two civilians sustained injuries.