Militancy in Jammu

• Context (TH): Militancy in Jammu has seen a resurgence after two decades of relative calm.

Recent incidents in Jammu

• July 2024: Four Army personnel were killed in a gunfight with militants in Jammu’s Doda.
• July 2024: Five Army soldiers killed and five injured in an ambush by militants in Kathua district.
• December 2023: Four soldiers were killed in an ambush on Army vehicles in Poonch-Rajouri area.
• January 2023: Seven Hindus, including two children, were killed in targeted attacks in Dangri, Rajouri.

Credits: South Asia Terrorism Portal

Reasons for increased militancy in Jammu

• Strategic location: The Pir Panjal range is easily accessible to terrorists (approx. 60km from LoC).
• Complicated counter-insurgency: Due to rugged terrain, poor roads, and patchy mobile connectivity.
• Thinning of security forces: After the 2020 Galwan clashes, a large contingent of the Army was redeployed from Jammu to the China border, reducing security in Jammu.
• Perceived injustice: Feeling that the government’s actions, such as hosting the G20 event in Kashmir, are dismissing local issues and grievances, leading to a sense of unfair treatment and marginalisation.
• Inimical elements’ Strategy: Neighbouring adversaries aim to exhaust India by engaging it on both the western (Pakistan) and northern (China) fronts.
• Removal of Pakistan from the FATF Grey list: Means less scrutiny of Pakistan’s financial transactions, leading to increased support for cross-border terrorism.
• Shift in Terror Focus: Heightened alert in Kashmir Valley makes Jammu a more vulnerable target.
• Narrative building: Government claims of improved security in Kashmir post-Article 370 abrogation may be challenged by increased militancy in Jammu, destabilising the region.
• Demographic factors in Jammu could lead to communal unrest, increasing social instability.
• Resurgence of old infiltration routes used by militants, particularly in the Kathua belt.
• Reduced local support due to lack of trust-building with younger generations.
• Discontinuation of Village Defense Guards due to allegations of crimes by members.

Government Efforts and suggestions

• Deployment of Additional Security Forces and technologies like Thermal Imaging Cameras in the region, bolstering the security grid.
• Revival of Village Defense Guards intensified after the targeted killing of seven Hindus in Dangri.
• Increased surveillance along the International Border and Line of Control, such as in the Kathua belt.
• Trust-building, particularly with the younger generation. For example, the Vibrant Villages Programme will help improve infrastructure along the border areas to enhance security.
• Initiatives like Operation Sarp Vinaash in Poonch were launched in 2003.
• Top security officials from J&K and Punjab met to counter the growing militancy in the Jammu region, reflecting enhanced inter-agency coordination.