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A terrorist attack on Amarnath yatris raises the security stakes

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The attack on Amarnath pilgrims at Nunwan base camp, just outside Pahalgam, has once again exposed serious breaches in the security set-up. According to army sources, there were intelligence inputs hinting at a possible strike. This was confirmed by J&K governor G.C. Saxena, a former RAW chief. There had been "definite" reports about a militant strike, said Saxena, but how and when, it wasn't known. Still, the security structure was taken by surprise. This raises a crucial question: what steps did the authorities take to foil such an attempt, considering they had been forewarned?

The timing of the attack is significant. The militants struck when the state was in the midst of preparing for assembly polls and when security was on high alert. The success of the Amarnath yatra would have been an indicator that some level of normalcy had been restored. According to official figures, over 15,000 additional paramilitary troops had been detailed to provide security cover to Amarnath pilgrims with the army providing security cover across the thickly forested hills surrounding Pahalgam.

But the militants breached the security fence around the heavily guarded base camp just before dawn on August 6. Dressed like Gujjars, they sneaked in close, hurled grenades and fired indiscriminately. At the end of the carnage, nine pilgrims lost their lives and over 30 were injured. Many of the victims were still asleep when the militants struck. Army officials say the terrorists were hiding in the hills and their assault took the securitymen in the camp by surprise.

Threats to the yatra are not new. The annual pilgrimage to Amarnath has been a target for militants since the early '90s. Many yatris have, in the past, lost their lives in militant strikes. Every year, despite strengthened security, the pilgrims have been a soft target. This year, days before the yatra, state and central authorities had assured foolproof security cover.

Police and army officials are not clear on how the gunmen—there is no clear fix on the number, some put it at three—managed to enter the base camp, surrounded by three tiers of security. Asks a BSF official: "Even a fly cannot enter the base camp without being subjected to frisking and security searches. How did militants armed with heavy weapons cross the security barrier?" According to him, the securitymen were literally caught napping.

Nunwan is the largest base camp on the Amarnath route and pilgrims bound for the holy cave perched 13,000 ft up in the mountains stay here overnight, before heading to Chandanwari. Many security personnel are deployed at Nunwan who, besides keeping a watch for possible militant attacks, search all those entering Pahalgam.

All hell broke loose when the militants opened fire that Tuesday morning. In the resulting melee, many pilgrims sustained injuries. Ram Kumar, who was brought to a Srinagar hospital for treatment, said the militant fired volleys of bullets and lobbed grenades at the pilgrims. "We were sleeping when we heard the gunshots," he said. Kumar, hit by a bullet in his back, fainted. Mukesh Khanna from Punjab, who arrived here the day before from Jammu, was preparing for his onward journey when it started, scattering the yatris. Says he: "There was total chaos, no one knew what was happening. Then I saw a stream of blood flowing from one of the tents."

The incident has evoked sharp condemnation even from separatist groups. The Hizbul Mujahideen, the largest Kashmiri militant group, which had welcomed the pilgrims as "our guests" and assured them protection, was very vocal in its condemnation.

The Hurriyat demanded a thorough probe into the security lapses. Referring to last year's killings, it said the "people responsible are still roaming free" despite a probe.Last year's toll was 10.

This year, though, the security establishment was really jolted. As any army officer in Kashmir will tell you, no intelligence alert can be ignored. The Nunwan attack may have been thwarted if the army and the paramilitary were more vigilant.

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