SRINAGAR: Suspected militants have stepped up their activities in the Valley, looting three banks and snatching five service rifles from policemen at three different spots in south Kashmir, all in the course of one day.Militants are said to have barged into the guardroom of the District Court Complex in Shopian on Tuesday night and decamped with at least five service rifles –– four Insas and one AK47 –– which they snatched from the policemen on duty. There was no exchange of fire and the militants managed to flee although it was a centrally-located complex. J&K police administration has suspended the policemen for dereliction of duty and for not putting up a fight against the militants. It has also initiated inquiry proceedings against them.Senior J&K police officials claim that large groups of militants, comprising six or seven people each, plan and execute such operations, which are successful in most cases.In Pulwama district on Wednesday, militants looted Elaqai Dehati Bank of Wahibug area and fled with around Rs 5 lakh cash. In a separate incident, militants also looted a branch of J&K Bank in Nehama Pulwama and fled with Rs 1.5 lakh cash. Earlier, suspected militants looted another Elaqai Dehati Bank in Shopian on Tuesday, taking away cash of Rs 65,000.Officials claim that the spurt in militant activity is because of an increase in the number of fresh militant recruits, which has bolstered their confidence. As of now, 214 militants are active here, 80 of whom are foreigners. There are 80 active militants in South Kashmir alone, mostly locals.The militants have frequently released videos at undisclosed locations, mostly in the apple orchards or jungles of south Kashmir, in which more than 25 militants wearing fatigues, were seen together. In a latest video, a militant is seen training the new recruits.The militants have managed to barge into the houses of many police officials and political workers in south Kashmir threatening them to resign and seek forgiveness. At least three political party workers were killed last month. These incidents have forced the police department to issues advisories on weapon snatching and have advised police officials hailing from south Kashmir to exercise caution while visiting their homes.Earlier this week, militants attacked a bank cash van in Kulgam , killing five police officials and two bank security guards, and decamped with four service rifles.“Weapon snatching is also a bravery and faithfulness test for new recruits who want to join militancy. It also takes care of the acute weapon and ammunition shortage militants face,” a senior police official told ET.In 2016, as per the Home Ministry data, around 70 weapons, including 62 rifles, six pistols and a Tasar gun, were snatched in 16 weapon snatching incidents. The data further revealed that 12 AK magazines, 34 magazines of SLRs, 131 magazines of Insas rifle and four carbine magazines were also snatched from the government forces last year.