After Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti now seeks probe into ‘abrupt rise’ in militancy in J&K- The Week

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has urged the government to look into the “abrupt rise” in militant activities across Jammu and Kashmir.

She made the statement at Sumbal in Bandipora on Thursday after visiting the family of Abida, who succumbed to injuries from a grenade blast at TRC in Srinagar. The explosion injured 11 civilians, with Abida suffering severe injuries.

Mufti expressed her deep sorrow over Abida’s passing. “The deceased lady left three minor children behind,” she said. Such incidents have plagued the region for the last 30 to 35 years, which has resulted in many children being orphaned and women becoming widows, she added.

Surprised by the escalating militant activities, Mufti urged the government to investigate the reasons behind this sudden increase after the formation of the government in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The government should investigate who is behind such acts and expose them,” she said.  She also raised concerns about potential security lapses.

On November 2, National Conference (NC) leader and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah also called for an investigation into the rise in encounters in Jammu and Kashmir.

He questioned whether any agency might be working to destabilise the Omar Abdullah-led government in the Union Territory. Abdullah remarked, “I question why we didn’t see a surge in gunfights before the government was formed,” during comments at his residence in Srinagar. He sought a probe to identify who was responsible for the increased violence.

Referring to militants involved in an encounter in Khanyar, Srinagar, Abdullah suggested that they should be apprehended rather than killed.

“They should be detained to investigate whether any agency has been tasked with destabilising Omar Abdullah’s government,” he said.

Since October 18, Jammu and Kashmir has experienced a spike in attacks, resulting in the deaths of nine civilians, including seven non-locals, five security personnel, and ten militants.

This series of incidents underscores the ongoing volatility and high-risk environment in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to heightened vigilance across the region in response to the persistent threats.