Amid brewing peoples' anger against terrorists after the gruesome killing of a Special Police Officer (SPO) of Jammu and Kashmir Police and his brother, there are reports that locals of Kashmir Valley have formed groups to eliminate terrorists hiding among civilians.
A Kashmir-based news agency has reported that after the killing of SPO Ishfaq Ahmad Dar and his brother Umar Ahmad Dar of Nasrullahpora, Budgam, several citizen groups in Srinagar, Budgam, and Kulgam have decided to eliminate terrorists hiding among the civilian population.
Quoting sources in the security establishment, Kashmir News Agency (KNA) reported that reliable inputs have been received, indicating that citizens are fed up with repeated killings of innocent Kashmiris by terrorism sponsored from across the border.
"Security establishment has been alerted about this developing scenario to ensure people do not take law into their own hands. There have been several cases in the rest of the country where people have publicly lynched and killed criminals and we are apprehensive of a similar situation with vigilante groups becoming active here," the agency reported.
Anger is brewing high against terrorism in Kashmir Valley
As terrorists are indulged in selective killings of innocent Kashmiris by dubbing them "informers", there is strong resentment among people against terrorism sponsored and supported by Pakistan.
The gruesome killing of SPO Ishfaq Ahmad Dar and his student brother without any reason has further fueled the anger of the people against terrorists. First time since the inception of terrorism in the Kashmir Valley, hundreds of people turned up to attend the funeral of victims of terrorists.
Amid tears and sobs, the SPO and his brother were laid to rest in Chadabugh village of Central Kashmir's Budgam district on Sunday. Hundreds of people including women, children, youth, and elderly flooded the house of two slain brothers amid wails and shrieks. "Women were seen showering toffees and flowers on the coffins of two siblings", reports said.
Formation of vigilante groups started three months back
"As terrorists stalked the streets, killing even school teachers with unprecedented violence, Kashmiri youth appears to be restoring confidence among a stricken populace", reports said.
"While many Kashmiris are exposing Pakistan for its nefarious designs and its terrorism lobby, which are targeting civilians and local policemen, certain other groups have started functioning in the last two-three months to kill the terrorists hiding in dense population", the news agency reported.
"Things on the ground are changing too. Many Kashmiris have formed local groups in terror-plagued districts and are ready to avenge innocent's blood. First such input was received last year but since then there has been a continuous flow of information about Kashmiri youth planning to eliminate terrorists", the news agency reported while quoting sources.
