Gulmarg, India — A renewed search operation is underway in the forest areas of Gulmarg and Butapathri after extremists targeted army vehicles, killing two soldiers and two porters and injuring three other military personnel. The assault, which occurred on Thursday evening in the Nagin Butapathri area of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district, has led to a substantial security operation in an effort to locate the attackers.
This violent strike is part of a disturbing uptick in regional violence, occurring just days after the formation of Jammu and Kashmir’s first elected government since the revocation of special autonomy under Article 370 in 2019. The incident not only underlines the ongoing security concerns in the area but also challenges the newly established government to restore and maintain peace.
Security forces, both military and police, are combing the expansive and rugged terrain of the forests, which link directly to the Line of Control (LoC), with adjacent areas Uri, Baramulla, and Budgam. According to a senior officer involved, the militants after attacking the military convoy have likely taken cover in this challenging terrain, prompting an extensive ground and aerial surveillance operation.
In the wake of the assault, precautionary measures have temporarily disrupted local infrastructure. The popular tourist attraction, Gulmarg Gondola, ceased operation on Friday morning, although it resumed by the afternoon, signaling a careful approach to balancing security measures with a semblance of normalcy for tourists.
The People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF), believed to be aligned with the Jaish terror group, has claimed responsibility for Thursday’s tragedy. Furthermore, this organization has issued threats indicating the possibility of future attacks, elevating concerns among security strategists and the public alike.
The recent acts of violence have reverberated through the community and beyond, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha paying homage to the fallen. In a ceremony laden with grief and respect, wreaths were laid in memory of Rifleman Jeevan Singh, Rifleman Kaisar Ahmad Shah, and porters Mushtaq Ahmad Chowdary and Zahoor Ahmad Mir. The Lieutenant Governor’s tribute on social media underscored the nation’s mourning and reiterated India’s resolve against such acts of terror.
Amid these tense times, the region of Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed a surge in violence. A week prior to the Butapathri attack, seven individuals were killed at a construction site in Ganderbal district, and a migrant worker was fatally shot in Shopian. These incidents paint a grim picture of the security challenges facing the area.
The string of attacks disrupts the fragile peace that had prevailed during recent elections, highlighting the complexities facing the region’s governance and the imperative for effective counter-terrorism strategies.
As the search operation intensifies, the sprawling and dense forests of Gulmarg and Butapathri remain a focal point of military strategy. The hope is to not just apprehend those directly responsible for the recent violence but to also dismantle the networks that facilitate such attacks, restoring a semblance of peace and stability to a region long marred by conflict.